not new, but expanding

[kathyp]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24568137-2862,00.html

this has already happened.  there was a radical, nutball, left wing, site in AU that i used to write on.  it has disappeared.  perhaps it has gone underground, or simply been shut down.  i don't know.  it was great entertainment for me, and a chance to sharpen research and debate skills.  it was a chance to take a look at the radical side and what they were thinking.  

how long before we are all subject to this censorship?  which of us will be considered to "radical" to post?  if individual sites block debate (as i have been blocked ), that is their choice.  however, if access to sites is blocked, regardless of how objectionable their content is, who will make those decisions for us?  there are already laws in place to cover child pornography.  they should be enforced.  we don't want any medium used as a vehicle to promote harm to children.  beyond that, what do they fear?  our ideas?

[Jerrymac]

Australia can do this. They took away the citizens guns so now they can do anything.

I do not believe in censorship.

[Geoff]

        Kathy this almost certainly will not happen. We have a Labor government in power at the moment who are running around like chooks with their heads cut off, even rushing overseas thinking they will change world politics when they cannot look after our own affairs.
        Jerrymac, we have not lost our guns, it has only become a licensed system which allows one to acquire firearms for a legitimate reason and it seems those that want them for illegal reasons seem to have a well supplied market anyway.

        Geoff.

[kathyp]

acquire firearms for a legitimate reason

but who determines what is a legitimate reason?  one government may have a liberal interpretation, while the next may find there are no "legitimate reason".  this has happened in england.  there are almost no reasons allowed for owning a weapon.  those weapons allowed are very few.  this is not a direction we should wish to go.

as you point out, weapons restrictions really have no impact on those who wish to do harm.  one need not stretch the imagination to far to see where registration and restrictions could lead.

internet restrictions head in the same direction.  it sounds good to regulate porn sites, etc. but when things are done for the "good of the people", the people usually end up the losers.

[bud1]

AMEN 

[Jerrymac]

  it sounds good to regulate porn sites, etc. but when things are done for the "good of the people", the people usually end up the losers.

I think it is called something like "The camel's nose in the tent door". 

[Brian D. Bray]

        Kathy this almost certainly will not happen. We have a Labor government in power at the moment who are running around like chooks with their heads cut off, even rushing overseas thinking they will change world politics when they cannot look after our own affairs.
        Jerrymac, we have not lost our guns, it has only become a licensed system which allows one to acquire firearms for a legitimate reason and it seems those that want them for illegal reasons seem to have a well supplied market anyway.

        Geoff.

NAIVE is the word that comes to mind when I read this.  Registration, then confiscation.  In England they are arguing about restricting knives and other dangerous tools now.

[Geoff]

         Time alone will tell Brian, but the system has been in place here for many years now and seems to be working OK. Any body who wants either a pocket pistol or a grenade launcher will get them for their purpose.
          When the current gun laws were brought in the number of knife and the like crimes exploded. We all wish that weapons in our communities would only be used for hunting or in necessary vermin eradication which I use mine for ( rabbits, foxes and starlings).

  Geoff.

[kathyp]

watch out.  you'll be like the Brits and only be able to buy a butter knife without registering   

[mick]

Ah I love Americans. Youd never fall for half the crap we do.

First the Liberal Government (AKA fascists) spent 50 million I think on a net nanny that no one used as a 16 yo cracked it on the first day. The company that got that tender not only sold somethng worth 50 grand for 50 million, but is well retired and basking in the sun.

If the latest proposal (and note we have these stupid ideas being thrown up all then time til they realise its impossible, or that the idea was just released on a slow news day, or that the cost would be enormous and even that it just wouldnt work.) went ahead it would fail and it would be removed after a week, cracked in 2 hours, after a billion or so of our money was wasted.

My opinion is by the time they had it in place, the net will have moved on and it will be ineffective. They would filter out content based on key words. They couldnt filter out images, sound or video. It wouldnt defeat PTP so theres no point. Its just been thrown up to deflect attention from all the real problems we have in this country.

Finally, we all know what happens when you drive things underground.

[Jerrymac]

Finally, we all know what happens when you drive things underground.

You get your radiator full of dirt. 

[kathyp]

we all know what happens when you drive things underground.

the product becomes more plentiful, but the price goes up   

[mick]

Thats my local paper KathyP btw!

There was one other eason I forgot to add.

Some cockroach is in cahoots with the govt. "let my company do this and I will look after you later" deal going on. happens all the time.