Question for Joey re: Internet Freedom

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Joey,

Give you are often outspoken about it being wrong to censor or control internet content, which side do you take in this legal case?

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014 ... -porn-king" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Joey]

A thread, just for me?

Moore will end up in prison, he will serve time for the crimes he committed. On the basis of that article it comes down the failure of the authorities to deal with it, allowing him to continue for as long as he did. If anything this isn't about the internet, it is about misogyny. If Moore had a fragment of respect the females then he wouldn't have done this - nor would anyone else. It's something that is rife within our society and online. Only need to look as far as the current government's front bench as an example (Typical Joey, bringing politics into this).

Censoring the internet wouldn't stop this kind of stuff, it'd start again somewhere else such as on the Deep Web (where Silk Road is located). Nobody should have enough power to decide what is an isn't accessible on the internet. Governments such as the American one would almost certainly filter sites such as Wikileaks and denounce them as a threat to national security. As we've seen in Turkey social media is being censored after exposing government corruption. In China, Google is censored so the government can control what information their population views. Saudia Arabia, has a proxy farm which blocks sites such as those supportive of LGBT-rights and also Wikipedia.

Yes, this kind of stuff is shitty. I have complete sympathy for those who fall victim to it but censorship is and will never be the answer. It is a danger path to walk down when governments start deciding what legal content their population are allowed to the view on the internet. If anything it should be down to the citizen themselves whether or not they want to block content on their network. There are plenty of tools out there and we're seeing ISPs push these technology increasingly.

Good enough response, RCS?

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Yes. Interesting read. My view us that anything which is illegal online should be as treated the same as anything illegal and clamped down upon in the real world.

Police can stop and search, or raid houses. Airport security can xray and rummage through your bags and rip your shoe soles off. Cars can be searched on the Irish border. People can have passports revoked and prevented from travelling. CCTV cameras can enforce teaffic law or witness fatal armed robbery. I fully believe online activity should be policed in the same way. If that requires monitoring of online activity and shutting down sites as they are found then so be it.

Your view is like saying don't bother criminalising rape or murder and let individuals decide if they want to do it or watch it with immunity.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 39259.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Joey]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 39259.html

Misogyny and lack of educating people about these things.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 39259.html

Misogyny and lack of educating people about these things.

So legalise rape and murder and just try and educate people not to do it?

[Joey]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 39259.html

Misogyny and lack of educating people about these things.

So legalise rape and murder and just try and educate people not to do it?

Complete different context.

And no.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Crime is crime whether on-line or not - internet is so much part of mainstream life now that your ideal of it being a lawless place where criminals and anarchists can buy drugs and weapons and child-porn and make death threats and terrorism plots without worrying about police trying to shut you down and arrest you does not work.

If a website contravenes law then close it down and arrest whoever is responsible. It's not censorship, it's law enforcement.

[Joey]

You're putting words in my mouth now.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

You're putting words in my mouth now.

Well answer the question in a couple of concise decisive words rather than a politicians answer:

Do you agree that if something is illegal on the high street it should also be illegal, and regulated as such, on the internet?

[Joey]

You're putting words in my mouth now.

Well answer the question in a couple of concise decisive words rather than a politicians answer:

Do you agree that if something is illegal on the high street it should also be illegal, and regulated as such, on the internet?

Yes.

You're using extremes to pull the argument your way however.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

You're putting words in my mouth now.

Well answer the question in a couple of concise decisive words rather than a politicians answer:

Do you agree that if something is illegal on the high street it should also be illegal, and regulated as such, on the internet?

Yes.

You're using extremes to pull the argument your way however.

It is the extreme things which cause the most damage and need most urgent attention, so a good place to start.

Obviously crimes like racist/sexist/homophobic abuse isn't prevented or punished when committed in football grounds or night clubs etc and bullying goes in schools without teachers caring, so I do not expect it to be stamped out on-line as it's impossible.

[Joey]

The web should be open and free.

Those who use it for illegal activities should be pursued and face the law.

The biggest criminals are the NSA/GCHQ however.

[Malabus]

The biggest criminals are the NSA/GCHQ however.

They are just the pawns.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

The biggest criminals are the NSA/GCHQ however.

They are just the pawns.

Correct.