I just saw this post that states Australia may ban Second Life. It has something to do with a games rating system. Does anyone from there (Australia not Second Life) know any more about this?
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Aussies Join the Censhorship Game?
- Date:
- Friday, 26 Jun e 2009 - 07:33 UTC
Last updated: Friday, 26 Jun 2009 - 07:33 UTC
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Comments
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Yes, it does, and here’s why.
Australia has always (since 1911) had a draconian censorship regimen. The present (supposedly, but not really, progressive) government wants to establish a censorship regimen to the internet. This means any game that is not rated as PG-13 or less will be blocked by the internet filter (both to download and to use). Since there is no M or X classification, in electronic media, and since any RC (refused classification) content will be automatically and mandatorily blocked.
I and others have been warning about this for ages.
Yegods. The first comment at that linked post reminds me why I avoid most blogs.
Yeah, John’s right. The Australians are heavy censors, and it’s essentially a police state. Guess that’s what happens when you put all your convicts in one place and let them form a government.
I wouldn’t say it is a police state, after all prostitution is legal and less than 14 grams of marijuana only gets you a warning and you can say ‘shit’ on television (but you cannot say it on City Rail), but it certainly is a nanny government that constantly enacts policy based on what they deem is in the public’s best interest, and there is a lot of contradictory morality here. You can rent a woman, but you cannot look at naked pictures of her in a magazine nor can you hire her in a virtual world of make-believe. Objectional Content is a dangerous phrase that opens the door for censorship of just about any and every idea.
Keep in mind, there is no constitutional protection of free speech (or free press) here…