Franco Frattini EU Censorship Proposal - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Franco Frattini, European Union Justice Commissioner, has set off a minor blogstorm from the following censorship proposal:
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Internet searches for bomb-making instructions should be blocked across the European Union, the bloc's top security official said on Monday.
Internet providers should also prevent access to any site giving instructions on how to make a bomb, EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said in an interview.
"I do intend to carry out a clear exploring exercise with the private sector ... on how it is possible to use technology to prevent people from using or searching dangerous words like bomb, kill, genocide or terrorism," Frattini told Reuters.
Putting aside the phrasing silliness (I know, it's like blogger catnip, ha-ha-he's-so-dumb), he has been making the same noises for a while:
Voice Of America News August 2006
"But I think it is very important, for example, to explore further possibilities of blocking websites that concretely incite to commit terrorist actions or for example providing of the diffusion of expertise or knowledge about bomb making," said Frattini.
However, it turns out that an organization http://SpyBlog.org.uk has compiled a VERY LONG Q-and-A about such censorship proposals
Below is the first part of our letter to Franco Frattini, and the preliminary, general answer, by Jonathan Faull the Director General for Justice, Freedom and Security of the European Commission.
See subsequent blog postings for Questions and Answers numbers 1 to 17
I doubt my audience needs me to say anything more about the battles of censoring the Internet, and he certainly doesn't care what I think reading ...
By Seth Finkelstein | posted in censorware , google | on September 10, 2007 11:25 PM (Infothought permalink)
Someone should suggest he consider that terrorism can be nipped in the bud even earlier.
Who would even look for details of how to make a bomb for terrorism purposes except someone who valued the news coverage that accrues to anyone who blows up umpteen unwitting citizens?
Perhaps if news broadcasters were prohibited from covering any terrorism, then the terrorists would no longer have any incentive?
Of course, the problem isn't too much information being accessible to the ignorant, but too little.
Franco Frattini must also count himself among those who have accessed too little information concerning the practicalites of censoring the Internet.
Most of the world's problems seem to be exacerbated by superstition and ignorance in people at positions of power.
What we need is an all seeing, all knowing, supernatural being who can make up for our deficiencies and guide humanity toward peace and harmony.
Yup, that'd work.
what is the linkage between proposal and budget?