Battleangel

For a good reason - or so they claim … Lifted from Metafilter …

Senator John McCain (R. - AZ) has introduced legislation [PDF] that would hold blogs responsible for all activity in their comments sections and user profiles. Provisions of the proposed bill include: (1) commercial websites and personal blogs “would be required to report illegal images or videos posted by their users or pay fines of up to $300,000,” (2) bloggers with comment sections may face “even stiffer penalties” than ISPs, and (3) any social-networking site must take “effective measures” to remove any Web page that’s “associated” with a sex offender. “Because ’social-networking site’ isn’t defined, it could encompass far more than just MySpace.com, Friendster and similar sites.” The list could include any site that allows comments, authot and personal profiles. Kevin Bankston of the Electronic Frontier Foundation notes that this proposal may be based more “on fear or political considerations rather than on the facts.” “McCain’s legislation could deal a serious blow to the blogosphere. Lacking resources to police their sites, many individual blogs may have to shut down open discussion.”^*

Using the smoke screen of “child pornography” to produce a platform to limit another freedom. How original. Obviously, this is opening a Pandora’s Box. Just as Sweden followed the British example to block web sites alleged to portray “child porn” some time ago. That decision has enabled the previously ugly act of censorship to enter the realm of possibilities. As we realized when Swedish ISP Perspektiv Bredband blocked allofmp3.com. So thanks a bunch for opening that can of worms.