Speak or forever hold your peace

This is one very busy Act.

The link provided above gives the original 1996 Act - without all the amendments, and there have been ammendments.

This is the 1999 amendment - mainly administrative issues and some aspects of bringing the internet into the ambit of the Act.

The Internet Service Providers Association analysis of the impact of this change is here and makes for easier reading and understanding of the impact.

The drama really starts with the 2004 Amendment here. Surprisingly, there is very little comment to be found on this amendment. It seems to have slipped quietly through. And yet it brings about rather drastic changes, particularly in respect of the internet.

For example, it provides for:
  • the registration of ISP's with the Film and Publications Board,
  • require that ISP's take all reasonable steps to prevent access to child pornography by any person (monitor content of information transmitted?)
  • requires that ISP's furnish particulars of users who gained or attempted to gain access to an internet address that contains child pornography,
  • adds broadcasts to the ambit of the Act,
  • adds race, ethnicity, and gender to the already present religion as taboos for the promotion of hatred in Schedule 10.

I could not find a copy of the Film and Publications Amendment Bill 2006 anywhere on the web. Obviously google hasn't found it yet.

Bottom line, the legislation is already in place for the censorship of the internet that the press is now so concerned about for the press media. Unless this has been addressed by the ECA (?)
 
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