***  Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Forum1 Archive  ***
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   [Date]: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 10:12:26 +1000
   [From]: "Kim Machan" <kma@b130.aone.net.au>
     [To]: "Cultural Exchange via Internet" <forum1@hkw.kbx.de>
[Subject]: Re: [forum1] Re: censorship

Hi Chris and list!

In Australia the government (currently conservative) has PASSED legislation
to treat all content on the internet with the same rules and regulations of
any electronic broadcast (television , radio, free to air or cable) .
As astounding as it may sound any artists work on the internet is liable for
prosecution through this act if it is perceived as offensive or unsuitable

this is the actual bill that was passed
http://www.aph.gov.au/parlinfo/billsnet/99077.pdf

How does this effect artists?
If an official complaint is made against an internet site and the complaint
is upheld, the government can then force the server to block or take down
the link to the site into/within australia -
The server will be ordered to do so once the site has been identified and
the server is liable to prosecution if they don't comply.
No case has yet been tested - but it is an incredibly unrealistic and
puritanical position.
The government has decided that the nature and culture of the internet is no
different than free-to -air broadcast!

This bill gained support through community fear of the unknown and .... as
it was argued that children need to be protected! Also , the government had
been working very proactively in increasing internet useage and access to
the population so with the rush of hype came outcrys of content control.

Realistically this seems an impossible task to police - but it does mean
that technically any artist with just one complaint about their site can be
investigated and ruled upon by the Australian Broadcasting Authority.

This issue was discussed in a recent list "resistant media" run by ANAT
(Australian Network for Art and Technology
http://www.anat.org.au/resistant-media
(a really well designed web site i must say - a bit hard to dig up the exact
conversations about this topic - but that might just be my skills in
digging!)

This bill is an embarassment - but is now the law.
The disturbing aspect and fear of many is that this may (underline may) lead
 to calls to  possibly trying to fire wall Australia - or even worse still -
let the major existing mainstream media giants - eg Murdoch and Packer
argue for monopoly control of the internet .....

best
Kim

Kim Machan
Festival Director
MAAP99
Multimedia Art Asia Pacific

phone 61 - 7 - 33487 403
fax      61 - 7 - 33484 109
mobile 0411 591 058

www.maap.org.au

MAAP is a not for profit organisation that promotes excellence in art and
technology


>
> I would like to know what cases of censorship can be told by members of
this
> list from other areas of the world.
>