UN Conference - Limits on Internet speech [CNN]
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U.N. CONFERENCE DEBATES LIMITS ON INTERNET SPEECH
Internet racism graphic November 11, 1997 Web posted at: 9:14 p.m. EST (0214 GMT)
GENEVA (AP) -- Concerned at the growing use of the Internet for racist propaganda, international experts are debating how -- and whether -- to combat the spread of computerized hate messages.
Binding global controls on the Internet are unlikely, officials said Tuesday, since the technology is changing faster than rules can be made, and because of free speech protection in the United States.
The United Nations is sponsoring a week-long meeting of human rights activists, government officials and Internet service providers as part of efforts to ensure compliance with an international treaty banning racial discrimination. It ends Friday with a list of recommendations.
"There are 148 countries who have accepted this convention and they are under obligation to enact measures to implement it," said Agha Shahi of Pakistan, a member of the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
"Are we going to say the Internet should be exempt from any kind of compliance with the rules of international behavior?" he asked.
It is widely agreed that the Internet offers an open platform for racists and white supremacists, although nothing has proved this leads to a related rise in racist incidents.
Much of the problem stems from the United States, where groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nations and skinheads base their Web sites.
Under the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees free speech, these groups are permitted to post their views on the Internet, which can be accessed by people in other countries.
Although European countries like Sweden have moved toward making Internet service providers responsible for the content they supply, such restrictions are unlikely in the United States, and hence, internationally.
"In our tradition, it is only through the clash of views in vigorous debate, and not through government censorship, that equality is well served," Philip Reitinger of the U.S. Department of Justice said at the U.N. meeting. "That principle -- one which accords freedom of expression the highest respect -- applies with equal force to the Internet."
While the U.S. computer industry is voluntarily working on ways to ensure that computer smut isn't accessible to minors, Eric Lee, of the Internet service provider Commercial Internet eXchange, said it was "not feasible and not desirable" for Internet providers to act as censors.
"It's difficult if not impossible to suppress content on the Web because there are so many ways to evade controls," Lee said. "Which does not mean that one should not take steps to limit behavior, but coming up with foolproof controls is virtually impossible."
Copyright 1997 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Jim Choate wrote:
U.N. CONFERENCE DEBATES LIMITS ON INTERNET SPEECH
GENEVA (AP) -- Concerned at the growing use of the Internet for racist propaganda, international experts are debating how -- and whether -- to combat the spread of computerized hate messages.
...
"Are we going to say the Internet should be exempt from any kind of compliance with the rules of international behavior?" he asked.
Any guesses as to how many microseconds it is going to take the fascist censors in the US to start waving the United Nations flag when they realize the advantage of having the World Press join them in castigating 'bad' Americans for their 'bad' behavior? We may have to ban freedom of speech (for starters), but "If it saves the life of just one goat-herder's child in Lower Slobovia..." Does everyone remember voluntary-mandatory "Drive 55?" "You don't _have_ to make it a law in your state, but then you won't get back the extra money we take from your state's citizens in order to to hold it hostage for their state's 'bad behavior.'" Anyone ever have the paymaster tell them that an extra 10% of their paycheck was being held, but you could have it if you kissed his ass? I bet if you think long enough, you can come up with a parallel (and *real*) example in your life. These same workplace and government squeezes will apply equally to the burdgeoning global marketplace/economy. (Once Canada rules WebWorld, I expect everyone to be in compliance with my rule of International behavior which requires everyone to wear parkas during 'our' winter.)
It is widely agreed that the Internet offers an open platform for racists and white supremacists, although nothing has proved this leads to a related rise in racist incidents.
Where's the broad who found the dirty picture/brain damage study for us? Dime to a dollar, she's enroute to the UN building, even as we type.
Under the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees free speech, these groups are permitted to post their views on the Internet, which can be accessed by people in other countries.
I just finished raising/razing this issue in another post (perhaps under one of my devilishly clever 'other brother, Anonymous' personas) only to find that I have, once again, been outflanked by an attack from the real world, where what I am using my psychic powers to predict is already taking place. An earlier post by Tim eloquently stated what most of us probably already know, but were hoping no one would mention, so that we could pretend that it's all going to be OK, as long as daddy tucks us in and leaves the nightlite on...the ever-nefarious 'they' are dumping it faster than we can shovel it. (And if we shovel faster, they will raise our taxes, so that they can buy more dump trucks, and we can buy fewer shovels.) PLATITUDE ALERT!!! "Just when I started winning the rat race, they brought in faster rats." Sorry, but there is just so much happening, on so many fronts, that brain lock is setting in and I will soon be reduced to responding to important issues only with a blank stare and bad cliches. <no wisecracks, please> I agree with Tim (whether he said yet it, or not) that the 'feared' is quickly becoming the 'undeniable.' The speed and volume of the 'openly blatant' lies and increasingly recognizable 'hidden agendas' is reaching a point where I am tempted to show my Crayola Conspiracy Charts (TM) to the normal folks down at the bar and see if they finally start nodding their heads, instead of laughing riotously. It's damn near like a good horror movie, where the nice people are all still laughing and drinking champagne, but the darkly disturbing cello sounds in the background are being emmitted with increasing frequency, like the growing birth pains of the bewildered lady who is about to give birth to the CypherPunk From Hell. ("We plan to name the baby Dimitri, if it's a boy, and Kent, if it's a girl. <sorry--couldn't resist>)
Although European countries like Sweden have moved toward making Internet service providers responsible for the content they supply, such restrictions are unlikely in the United States, and hence, internationally.
Ever hear of Trade Wars? What if your business counts on your email being received promptly businesses in Sweden, where the government, or their own ISP, is threatening to do source blocking unless your employee takes down his 'Swedish Jokes' web site? I lived in a Ukranian town where everyone told Polish jokes. I moved to a Polish town and the same jokes were Ukrainian jokes. Nobody shot one another over it, and anyone offended would likely get an apology. Now, it may well be that I or you could be imprisoned for telling what now probably qualifies as 'hate speech' in Canada, Land of the Strong and the Free (but not free to tell 'racist' jokes...or own a handgun...or...ad infinitum). I used to tell a joke about the Ukrainian renting an outhouse for $300/month, and getting a good deal, because he could rent the 'basement' out to a Swede for $150. Now, even though I have some Swedish blood coursing through my veins, I would still be a criminal for posting it on my web site. I can envision finding myself in the same position as Arlo Guthrie in Alice's Restaurant, telling my fellow inmates, murderers, rapists, and armed robbers, every one, that I'm doing time for the literary equivalent of littering. "Yeah man, I'm doing a deuce for Swedish jokes." Fucking hilarious, ain't I? Almost as funny as the woman in Tucson who owned an everyday photography/art store, and got busted and had her business shut down and searched because she had a cute picture of her naked baby boy playing with a rubber chicken. I have no doubt that there are equally scary real-life examples of the same thing in regard to Canada's hate laws. Maybe even a Swedish joke bust or two. Perhaps I am ranting but, to tell the truth, I find the 'little' examples of daily fascist censorship/insanity every bit as scary as the big, important things discussed on the list, such as the UN moves toward putting an end to behavior that is 'bad' according to International standards. Maybe even _more_ scary, because the examples of Bob, who lives down the road, and Alice, who works as a cypherpunks theories model for C2Net, bring the New World Order a step closer to home when we hear their doors being kicked in. We are like the chickens in the henhouse, who have learned to live with the occassional midnight raid by the fox who has, thus far, never ventured to our end of the roost. However, things have gotten to the point where there are more foxes and fewer chickens, and many of us have begun nervously counting the number of chickens left between us and the foxes. (Not that we wish them any harm...) Maybe, if we remain quiet and still, not making any aggressive moves, the foxes won't... Right!
"It's difficult if not impossible to suppress content on the Web because there are so many ways to evade controls," Lee said. "Which does not mean that one should not take steps to limit behavior, but coming up with foolproof controls is virtually impossible."
Yes, and that is why 'stiffer penalties' will be required in order to enforce the rules against 'bad' behavior. Everyone who thinks that the Fascists will surrender because it is just too damn much work to oppress the Free without the proper tools, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect Your Daily Government Ration of Rice. Show me the legislation proposing to require parents to accept responsibility for purchasing available software to protect their children, or give up the right to whine and bitch about what their children choose to access on the WWW. Show me the government funds being diverted from weapons programs to encourage the development of software which will allow blocking by choice, without infringing on the right of others to enjoy their choice of visiting the sites others block. In every imaginable corner of government and society, the battle cry of the Fascist Censors has been, "More laws...stiffer penalties ...more prisons." Now the Foxes are making loud proclaimations about how they have no intention of eating the free-range InterNet Chickens. As a matter of fact, they have every aim of helping us to build henhouses, for our own protection... Excuse me, but I have to go buy a varmint gun... TruthMonger
TruthMonger <tm@dev.null> writes:
("We plan to name the baby Dimitri, if it's a boy, and Kent, if it's a girl. <sorry--couldn't resist>)
Congratulations. Here's a virtual cigar.
Perhaps I am ranting but, to tell the truth, I find the 'little' examples of daily fascist censorship/insanity every bit as scary as the big, important things discussed on the list, such as the UN moves toward putting an end to behavior that is 'bad' according to International standards. Maybe even _more_ scary, because the examples of Bob, who lives down the road, and Alice, who works as a cypherpunks theories model for C2Net, bring the New World Order a step closer to home when we hear their doors being kicked in.
C2Net are the bad guys. --- Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM Brighton Beach Boardwalk BBS, Forest Hills, N.Y.: +1-718-261-2013, 14.4Kbps
participants (3)
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dlv＠bwalk.dm.com -
Jim Choate -
TruthMonger