Australian Government Trying To Ban Fetish Porn

[Guest cloudroll]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/02/anonymous-targets-australian-government-over-porn-filters.ars

I get a little alarmed when I see a Western government like Australia banning certain forms of pornography. Certainly things like child porn should be banned, but why should fetishes involving consenting adults be banned? Apparently, the government will have discretion over what is and isn't an acceptable fetish.

Should we be alarmed? Could AB/DL sites be targeted? And if Australia adopts this censorship, what stops other Western democracies?

[AutieAB]

Should we be alarmed? Could AB/DL sites be targeted? And if Australia adopts this censorship, what stops other Western democracies?

I`ve been watching this story develop over the past 18 months or so with interest. Honestly, I am staggered that the Aussie citizens haven`t put a stop to it yet. These sorts of schemes always start the same way with the promise of filtering content that everybody agrees should not be allowed (vis-à-vis child porn) and then, slowly, the scope creeps outward into other types of borderline content, and on and on into censorship.

I personally am not worried - there would be a revolt if this were tried in Britain or the USA (at least, I hope there would be) but if I were the webmaster at say, Wetset (a company under Aussie jurisdiction, I believe) then I`d be very concerned indeed!

The IWF (a British group) already supply a child porn block list to British ISPs and have done for years. They infamously tried to feature-creep into `borderline` content last year by blocking access to an image from an album cover that was posted to Wikipedia and got a massive black eye from the press and public. A couple of days later, they were forced to reverse their decision. That kind of response and oversight to legitimate censoring is what keeps them in their place and stops them `doing a China` on us

Further, schemes like this are technically unfeasible - you just can`t censor all the `bad` stuff on the internet and the bigger they are, the harder they fall on their arses while everybody laughs. Once the Australian scheme has failed (and trust me, it will, one way or another) then the rest of the world`s governments with a tendency for puritanism will realise that it ain`t such a bright idea.

[back2kindy]

Yeah we're not too big on upholding our rights here in Australia, unfortunately.

I will be devastated if something like this goes through.

[turtlepins]

That idea is not in keeping with the national anthem of Australia! After hearing that for the first time I was surprised the country even had a government! Seriously . . . how does one get serious after that? . . . the porn industry will just throw huge sums of money at the right people and the thing will go away. At least, that's how it happens in America. Laws and people don't matter here. Just money.

[JeiSiN]

WTF is going on with Australia?

hey actually banned all videogames with 18+ ratings and other violent videogames. How the hell did that happen? What's more remarkable is that marijuana is decriminalized there!!

How fucking fair is it that you can get high, but then you aren't able to play and trip out to the sweetest videogames and possibly not be able to be stoned and watch the porn of your choice?!

Something is ass-backwards over there for sure...

-JeiSiN

[Missy Q]

What hasn't Australia banned?

[curiositykilledthecat]

I am not shocked remotely, thus why I rather live where I do. At least for time being the ass hats in D.C. are too busy trying to screw the other party over instead of us.

[DL88]

I am not shocked remotely, thus why I rather live where I do. At least for time being the ass hats in D.C. are too busy trying to screw the other party over instead of us.

Actually there is 1 little thing wrong with your post, they don't care if they screw us over, it is all about money and votes for them. It is a double-edged sword in Aus. in my honest opinion. On one hand it might get rid of a bunch of illegal and wrong stuff (you know what I mean) but like others have said, what about personal freedom if you are an adult.

[storzech]

If I had any power at all I would ban all porn forever, it is degrading, and corrupts the soul. When we should be striving for purity of the soul.

[anned]

The Anonymous group started "Operation Titstorm"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_%28group%29

Operation Titstorm

Occurred from 8am, February 10, 2010 as a protest against the Australian Government over the forthcoming internet filtering legislation and the perceived censorship in pornography of small-breasted women (who are thought to be under age) and female ejaculation. The protest consisted of a distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS) on Australian Government websites. An attack five months ago had not been successful. The Australian anti-censorship groups complained that the attack only hurts their cause, and Australian government members dismissed the attack and said that they would just restore the service when the attack finished.

[Sparks]

They're not very good at cricket either

[RMS401]

The problem with this kind of thing is that in order for a population to stop it, they have to stand up and say, "No! I want to keep fetish porn!" I'm not sure how many people are willing to do that. As always, the decisions are made by the people who are willing to speak up, and this is a tough one. I don't know about you, but I'm in no position to admit that I like to wear diapers and see pictures and videos of other people doing the same. Embarrassment could be our worst enemy here.

-RMS

[freswith]

The frightening thing is the glow of righteous pleasure that the puritanic censors get from stopping other people from enjoying themselves.

If ever there was a pernicious, destructive fetish, then surely that it it!

[Guest cloudroll]

The frightening thing is the glow of righteous pleasure that the puritanic censors get from stopping other people from enjoying themselves.

If ever there was a pernicious, destructive fetish, then surely that it it!

Well said. This sort of thing only passes when a political party is trying to posture a "holier than thou" tone over the other party in a bid for votes. Because it's not easy for the opposition to stand up and be like, "The government shouldn't restrict porn!"

But I think that the more informed people are generally about this sort of thing, the more mobilized they can become when liberties are threatened. Australian personal freedom advocates need to collaborate more. I think right now the different groups aren't really organizing noticeable opposition to government censorship, something that most people in a liberal democracy will oppose if they're just informed about it and encouraged to speak up via letter-writing, phone calls, etc.

[curiositykilledthecat]

well in the usa porn for whatever reason is protected under the 1st amendment, however we have a party in power that openly views the constitutuon as an obstacle instead of a limitation. I don't care for porb as it can be quite destructive hiwever I don't believe in the morality police either

[turtlepins]

The frightening thing is the glow of righteous pleasure that the puritanic censors get from stopping other people from enjoying themselves.

If ever there was a pernicious, destructive fetish, then surely that it it!

It's the whole I'm right you're wrong notion. I don't think the conservative religious right is pernicious. Most of them are just busy trying to get everyone to do things their way. But then that's true of every social group, isn't it? Most of us don't see the very real cruelty, and slavery that is a large portion of the porn industry. I think it's just people trying to do a good thing through litigation, which is always a fatal mistake. One cannot control the actions or thoughts of others, only one's own. Therefore it is better to live an example of what you believe, than try to force others to do the same. Your influence is much better that way. Don't you think?

[storzech]

So I am the religous right huh? I just want you to realize porn is commiting adultry and is a mortal sin in the teachings of the catholic faith. Hey if you choose to do it do not flash it in front of me and it should be extremely difficult as to prevent acsess to children. If you want to deny there is a God there is no hope for you to understand right from wrong.

[curiositykilledthecat]

As a born again Christian I don't advocate porn however I sure don't care if someone else watches it. If someone elses activities affect your ability to worship then there is something mentally and spiritually wrong with you.

[curiositykilledthecat]

It's the whole I'm right you're wrong notion. I don't think the conservative religious right is pernicious. Most of them are just busy trying to get everyone to do things their way. But then that's true of every social group, isn't it? Most of us don't see the very real cruelty, and slavery that is a large portion of the porn industry. I think it's just people trying to do a good thing through litigation, which is always a fatal mistake. One cannot control the actions or thoughts of others, only one's own. Therefore it is better to live an example of what you believe, than try to force others to do the same. Your influence is much better that way. Don't you think?

Conservative right and progressive left are two sides of the same coin, it's people who can't mind their own business and need to control everything. I do my best to live out my faith and repsect people who choose to live differently. When a group of people try to impede upon my ability to live my life as I see fit, then I intercede.

[Necare]

So I am the religous right huh? I just want you to realize porn is commiting adultry and is a mortal sin in the teachings of the catholic faith. Hey if you choose to do it do not flash it in front of me and it should be extremely difficult as to prevent acsess to children. If you want to deny there is a God there is no hope for you to understand right from wrong.

Oh,thanks for giving all of us lost souls this piece of vital information. I`m eternal grateful, padre!!! It`s been too many times I`ve felt Satan creeping up my spine, whenever I have a beer, whenever I jerk off, whenever I laugh at a joke a bit over the edge, and of course the gravest sin of them all, whenever I think and act as an individual. My mind is frail, so open for temptation, so ripe for sin!! But now you have come with your staff, the messenger of good tidings, you disperse the demonic clouds hanging over our bewildered souls, and you will show us all how to be proper sheep. All the porn-watchers and adulterers are in dire need of spiritual guidance, be our guide!!

Honestly, my dear little fundamentalist-moron, jolly good if you have seen the light and strive so pathetically to be a sheep, but do not for one minute pretend that this is something that automatically needs to be forced down peoples throats. But what am I saying? You really cannot help yourself, can you? I feel truly sorry for you, sitting there in your catholic shackles. I really hope I`ll burn in hell, whoever wants to spend an eternity in heaven with a god-slave like you? Now, be a good little preacher-boy, stick your nose into the bible,the longer it`s firmly placed there, the longer we are spared for any form of disgusting moralizing on your part.

[DL88]

Conservative right and progressive left are two sides of the same coin, it's people who can't mind their own business and need to control everything. I do my best to live out my faith and repsect people who choose to live differently. When a group of people try to impede upon my ability to live my life as I see fit, then I intercede.

Pretty much, my views have changed in that I believe most of the problems in the U.S. now aren't Republican or Democrat problems, they are American problems. Unfortunitly though Turtlepins, you really need to look again at who is trying to limit what and recheck latin root meanings.

Oh,thanks for giving all of us lost souls this piece of vital information. I`m eternal grateful, padre!!!...

I don't think I really needed to put down your entire post to say this:

While the poster you were replying to might have deserved it, was it really necessary to post with that level of ego driven cynicism just to make yourself feel a little bit better?

[Guest Katharsys]

Hrm, this topic seems to have denigrated into a back and forth over the morality of porn, instead of looking at the main import of the original posting - the gradual degradation of values that should be adamantly upheld, whether or not you find the current "boogeyman" subject of them distasteful or not.

Free speech is essential to a free society. It doesn't matter if you agree with what the person says, shows or does - what matters is that the person is free to say it in the first place. We have laws in place already to punish those who, in the abuse of their free speech, step over the line in terms of actually hurting others or infringing on their rights (re: some forms of porn, screaming "fire" in a crowded theater). As a society in general, we have said that these examples are not protected, and perpetrators of them should be punished.

But what the Australian government is instituting is essentially the "thought police" concept - instead of going after those who either produce or consume what is already illegal content; instead of trusting their people in general to obey the law in knowing inherently right from wrong - wanting to dictate what you may or may not see or say before it is even said. Today they are banning porn, but next week, month or year, who is to say that valid political dissent wouldn't be banned. This entire line of actions is a slippery-slope argument that has been repeated many, many times in the past - usually though in a more totalitarianism type government.

How are the actions being planned right now by the Australian government that different than what is currently done now in regimes such as the PRC or Iran? In the PRC - and the Great Firewall of China - if you attempt to look up "Tiananmen square" you will find nothing on the protests against those still in power. What about the people right now in Iran, trying to use the net to get their voices heard to others in the country using resources in the outside world, the powers that be are actively trying to silence and quash that dissent.

Look at the laws that the Australian government are trying to pass - where are the restrictions on what they can or cannot ban - there are none. Those of you in the UK, you aren't much better in this case. Try taking a look at what has been "blacklisted" by your country. In the case of the UK, the list of what you can and cannot see is kept secret from the people - so how do you know that legitimate political dissent hasn't already been blocked from your view? You don't.

Let's take a look at Thailand. Such a list was implemented under the same reasoning of "let's think of the children", yet when that list finally leaked, it was found that several thousand websites that were critical of the royal family over there had been banned.

Of course, the proposed Australian blacklist did leak, and for some reason, there is a dentist office website, a travel website, several wikipedia pages and a few other odd pages that were banned - and no one knows why.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/19/australia_list_leaked/

When people are too lazy to manage their governments, the governments manage their people - to the extreme.

Of course, as soon as the aforementioned listings were posted at wikileaks, the site was then banned.

tl;dr - free speech needs to be free speech, if you agree with it or not. Not pre-filtered for your consumption.

[curiositykilledthecat]

Why I am not for large government, it's only a matter of time before you're their willing idiot.

[Necare]

Pretty much, my views have changed in that I believe most of the problems in the U.S. now aren't Republican or Democrat problems, they are American problems. Unfortunitly though Turtlepins, you really need to look again at who is trying to limit what and recheck latin root meanings.

I don't think I really needed to put down your entire post to say this:

While the poster you were replying to might have deserved it, was it really necessary to post with that level of ego driven cynicism just to make yourself feel a little bit better?

You know, it`s his business if he loathes every form of pornography, that he feels it`s a vexation to the soul. I`m certainly not going to make him change his beliefs, there are people better suited for crusading. What is enormously provoking with his post, is not the fact that he happens to be pro-censorship, that he happens to let his belief dictate his stance on porn, but the very fact that his wording on this topic is tantamount to preaching. And that will certainly provoke a fitting response from yours truly.

I guess I`m a tad bit too free-spirited to sit just passively by while reading dogmatic statements like; "If you want to deny there is a God there is no hope for you to understand right from wrong." Wow, where is the oh so famed christian meekness we all have heard so much about I wonder? A statement like this doesn`t taste much of respect for individual freedom, now does it? Arrogant and dogmatic preaching, the poorly disguised wish of salvation for all, will get the response it truly deserves. Not a response with silk-gloves. The hammer is more fitting for that kind of work.

By the way, I`m always surprised how enormously sensitive the god-idolizers are whenever someone utters statements considered to be blasphemous, one perceives that their whole fundament is in grave danger of crumbling away. The response they give certainly would indicate it, and not the response you on beforehand would expect from dogmatists saying how much strenght are garnered from their belief in a deity. Petty blasphemy should in that respect matter naught. But here they are, wailing and shouting, just because an individual happened to use the liberty to free speech to create a caricature of their prophet, just because anyone happens to write a satirical comment on Jesus etc.

But here we come to the crux of the matter. Religious fundamentalists inability to think and act outside the confines of dogma, their inability to perceive the sanctity of individual thought, every little thing, every microscopic element not in sync with this or that particular religious teaching, is automatically deemed to be of lesser worth than the narrow world-view for example the christian or moslem lives and acts by. If you are a sheep, every gentile, secular matter becomes a personal attack on you, in one way or another. How sad and truly pathetic. If anyone disagrees with me, if a debate of any kind is highly polarized, and I happen to be attacked for my particular views, I engage in further discussion. The logical thing to do. I certainly don`t go home, teary-eyed, thinking "How could all these awful people do this to me? Don`t they know that my beliefs, my perceptions, my thoughts concerning the world and cosmos all around me, is beyond reproach? Oh ,the impudence, they will pay for not agreeing with me, I want everyone to be my comforting, spitting image!!!"

Ego-driven cynic? Yes please, I`ll gladly fill that role any day, over the dogma-driven fundamentalist. Cheers!!

[gweg]

Necare, on 12 February 2010 - 08:52 PM, said:Oh,thanks for giving all of us lost souls this piece of vital information. I`m eternal grateful, padre!!!...

I don't think I really needed to put down your entire post to say this:

While the poster you were replying to might have deserved it, was it really necessary to post with that level of ego driven cynicism just to make yourself feel a little bit better?

Hey it made me feel a little better to ... so don't attack him for standing up for himself!