Australia to enforce a "ratings system" on web, track users (was Re: [LINK] Has anyone seen this...)

[Kim Holburn]

<http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071223-australia-to-enforce-a- 
ratings-system-on-web-track-users.html>
Apple Mail corrected version:
<http://tinyurl.com/2ghtja>


> Australia to enforce a "ratings system" on web, track users
>
> By Ken Fisher | Published: December 23, 2007 - 08:12PM CT
>
>
> While Aussies may be proud to be among the first to ring in the New  
> Year, more than a few aren't happy about the impending enforcement  
> of new age verification rules online by the Australian  
> Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).  The rules <http:// 
> www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310907>  are meant to protect  
> children from online content, but what the Communications  
> Legislation Amendment (Content Services) Act of 2007 actually does  
> is put a serious burden on adults to self-police, while making it  
> much harder for online publishers to freely share their work. Worse  
> yet, it's another misguided attempt to make the Internet into a  
> playground for children where they won't need supervision.
>
> Beginning January 20, anyone who publishes commercial content  
> online or for mobile phones in Australia will be required to make  
> sure that adult-oriented content isn't seen by minors. This isn't  
> just porn we're talking about, either: the new rules essentially  
> port Australia's movie ratings over to online content.
>
> Once the new rules are enforced, content producers in Australia as  
> well as Australian web surfers will have to live by these categories:
>
>     * Sexually explicit content is prohibited (X18+, and Refused  
> Classification content); this was already the case.
>     * R18+ content (non-sexually-explicit, but restricted) must be  
> hidden behind a verification service that checks for ages 18 and up.
>     * So-called "mature audience" (MA15+) content must also be  
> hidden behind a verification service that checks for ages 15 and up.
>     * The ACMA will use "take down," "service cessation" and "link  
> deletion" notices to force publishers to remove content or access  
> to content that is the subject of a complaint.
>
> One reader who contacted Ars lamented the fact that adults will  
> have to give up a little privacy to be in compliance, too. Users  
> will prove their age by supplying their full names and either a  
> credit card or digital signature approved for online use. Content  
> publishers are even required by law to keep records of who accessed  
> R18+ content and with what credentials for a period of two years.  
> Of course, such systems are also susceptible to gaming. Little  
> Jimmy only needs to find a willing adult, or barring that, momma's  
> credit card to get online. Identity fraud with a credit card isn't  
> exactly rocket science.
>
> While the law targets commercial content providers, the rules also  
> apply to "live content" services, aka, IRC services and chatrooms.  
> It's also not clear what counts as commercial content: bloggers who  
> turn a buck would seem to qualify. According to documents from the  
> ACMA, the rules apply to "hosting service providers, live content  
> service providers, links service providers and commercial content  
> service providers who provide a content service that has an  
> Australian connection."
>
> One wonders if the rules aren't a complete waste of time, however.  
> Australia cannot enforce the rules in other countries, which in the  
> long run seems to only give Australians an incentive to hosting  
> their businesses somewhere other than downundah.
>
> Further reading:
>
>     * The Herald Sun's cryptic account
>
>     * ACMA
>


On 2007/Dec/24, at 12:55 AM, Howard Lowndes wrote:

> "From January 20, 2008 new content laws introduced by the Federal  
> Government will force sites to verify the age of users before  
> accessing content intended for mature audiences (MA15+ and R18+).  
> The laws bring internet classification into line with Film and Book  
> classification laws and completely prohibits X18+ and RC content  
> from the internet. ACMA (The Australian Communications and Media  
> Authority) claims that adults will not be affected by the new laws,  
> yet user-generated and even chatrooms are required to be assessed  
> for classification and powers are granted to ACMA to send 'take  
> down' notices to offending sites."
>
> http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/07/12/23/1432216.shtml

--
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
Ph: +39 06 855 4294  M: +39 3494957443
mailto:kim at holburn.net  aim://kimholburn
skype://kholburn - PGP Public Key on request

Democracy imposed from without is the severest form of tyranny.
                           -- Lloyd Biggle, Jr. Analog, Apr 1961