[LINK] New Zealand set to join internet blocking club

[Craig Sanders]

On Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 09:27:10AM +1000, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
> New Zealand set to join internet blocking club
> Concerns over oversight and spying on users
> By John Ozimek
> 15th July 2009 11:03 GMT
> The Register
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/15/big_nz_blocklist/
> [...]
> 
> At present, New Zealand has no official internet blocking, although 
> possession and publication of obscene material is covered under the 
> Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993. Responsibility 
> for policing what goes on to the internet falls to the Department of 
> Internal Affairs (DIA), who have largely been concerned with material 
> featuring the abuse of children or sex with animals.

the usual excuse - kiddie porn and other illegal or obscene material.

the real reason why governments around the world are introducing
censorship regimes like this is the intense pressure and lobbying that
the (mostly american) copyright industries are bringing to bear on them.

trash movies from hollywood and bland corporate muzak are the root cause
of the push to lock up the internet. aren't you glad that it's being
done for a noble and worthy cause?

craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>