|
search / subscribe / upload / contact |
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
| RSS-Feed Depeschen |  |
|
|
||
|
||
Date: 1999-09-06
Content Rating & Zensur am Bertelsmann/kongress-.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- gross/kopferten Industrie am Bertelsmann Kongress am 9. September vorhat, könnte nur allzuleicht veritable Zensur heraubeschwören. Mitglieder der Global Internet Liberty Campaign aus aller Welt [auch quintessenz] werden alldort vertreten sein, eine Declaration geht in der Nacht auf Donnerstag hinaus. -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- Robert MacMillan, Newsbytes. Online free-speech groups say they are worried about an upcoming conference of Internet industry heavyweights that could result in an international ratings standards code that could lead to government censorship. As Newsbytes reported in May, the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) was formed by a group of mostly big-time industry players bent on developing its own regulations to avoid the potential government regulation of Internet content. The association has planned a meeting in Munich, Germany, from Sept. 9 to Sept. 11, at which it will hear two conflicting proposals for a worldwide ratings system, one of which features input from former White House Special Policy Adviser Ira C. Magaziner and Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Interim Chairwoman Esther Dyson. ICRA Executive Director Stephen Balkam told Newsbytes that the idea of establishing an international ratings system certainly will not please everyone. The Bertelsmann Foundation-sponsored plan that will come up next week was developed by an "expert network," including Magaziner and Dyson, and drafted mainly by Yale Law School professor Jack Balkin. It calls for the ratings system, Website conduct codes and about 10 other points. It will go up against a program sponsored by the Internet Content Rating for Europe (INCORE) proposal, which contains some difference that reflect the European Union's own involvement in the online content debate. "I think that there have been some within certain organizations who have always viewed this as a potential threat for government censorship, " Balkam said. "Yes...governments can do all kinds of things to their people, but we should remain vigilant in everything from ratings systems to the electric chair." ICRA, which has absorbed the US-based ratings group the Recreational Software Advisory Council, supports the use of Internet filtering to keep children away from harmful content online, but does not necessarily support governmental imposition of these systems. "We do support filtering because we are a rating and filtering service, but our second mission is to protect free speech because we see our efforts as discouraging governments from creating legislation," Balkam said. "Everything to do with policy on the Internet is a tricky balance." According to David Sobel of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), however, a system of international content regulations leads one step closer to governments requiring the use of such a system for the Internet community. "It is being put forward as a means of self-regulation and a way to ward off government regulation, but I think there's a very strong and obvious possibility that governments are going to consider mandating the use of such a system," Sobel said. Sobel and Balkam both confirmed that they held a dinner meeting to discuss EPIC's concerns, but Sobel did not characterize it as a great step toward progress. Bruce Taylor, president and chief counsel for the conservative group National Law Center for Children and Families - which supports the Child Online Protection Act (COPA) - said that the meeting likely would produce few valuable results because of groups like EPIC and the Electronic Frontier Foundation's objections to what they perceive as free speech restrictions. "It's like (Center for Democracy and Technology President) Jerry Berman blasting (AT&T Corp. Chairman) Mike Armstrong because he voiced objection to the amount of violence, pornography and hate speech on the Internet," Taylor said. "They'll throw an industry wet blanket on anyone who wants to take responsible measures to use this technology." Whether industry will try to subvert the system is unclear, but judging by the list of ICRA founding members - AOL Europe, Bertelsmann Foundation, British Telecom, Demon Internet (UK), EuroISPA, IBM, Internet Watch Foundation, Microsoft, Software & Information Industry Association, and T-Online Germany - there may be more support for the system than initially anticipated. Nevertheless, some media outlets and other companies have indicated that they would not support a uniform ratings system. Much of the furor and renewed interest in a ratings system came in the wake of the murder rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., the latest and most bloody in a more than year- long string of school shootings. Vice President Al Gore summoned a group of industry executives to develop some ideas toward an Internet ratings system, and several legislators on Capitol Hill - notably presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.Y., have proposed other types of content alerts for a variety of media. President Clinton also has called for "Hollywood" to get together and try to settle on a code of conduct for its content, while Republican Congress members have built similar legislation into juvenile crime bills. With fears that the government would stray too far into censorship territory, some industry leaders have started GetNetWise.org, which offers a one-stop resource for parent- and guardian-controlled filter technology. Sobel said that "to the extent that it focuses on education, it's great, but...there's a little too much emphasis on filtering." "It's hard for people to say this, but this really comes down to a matter of parents being involved," he said. "To popularize the idea that all you need to do is spend $30 and buy the software program... is irresponsible." -.- -.-. --.- Jetzt erst recht! 1000 Sonnen - das Musical zur Wahl heiter, sauber, ordentlich DrezninMusik MoechelBuch PoschRegie Premiere 10. September http://1000Sonnen.heimatseite.com/ -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- - -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- edited by published on: 1999-09-06 comments to office@quintessenz.at subscribe Newsletter - -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- 
|
|
|
 |
related topiqs |
 |
CURRENTLY RUNNING |
q/Talk 1.Juli: The Danger of Software Users Don't Control
|
|
|
!WATCH OUT! |
bits4free 14.Juli 2011: OpenStreetMap Erfinder Steve Coast live in Wien
|
|