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Australia censoring the Internet, blocking out M-rated games photo

The Australian Government has officially gone drunk with power. Not content to heavily butcher and/or outright ban videogames that don't conform to their horribly outdated MA15+ age rating cap, the Australian authorities are now going as far as to censor the Internet, invoking an almost twenty-year-old clause to get away with blocking access to any Web site that may host or sell videogames above the paltry 15 rating.

The government is justifying its actions by using Schedules 5 and 7 of the 1992 Broadcasting Services act, that basically give Australian authorities the power to ban whatever they want, whenever they want. Basically, the government can and will make ISPs block any site hosted by another country if the content is "potentially" bannable. It also allows Australia's Communications and Media Authority to make up its own rules about what is and isn't allowed. 

For a good while, Australian politicians have tried to argue that it's not their fault that Australia has such a horrible censorship record, and that it rests on the shoulders of the country's ratings board. However, this rather Orwellian move is nothing short of sinister on the part of the government, and sets a frightening precedent for the future of the media in Australia. 

This is not good at all.


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55 comments | showing # 51 to 55

nebones's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/26/2009 07:52
nebones
Fuck this country.
abombb's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/26/2009 11:12
abombb
This is a pile of crap. We shouldn't have to put up with what government feels like doing these days. If we let them get away with this, they're just going to ban more.
Turbofail's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/26/2009 22:31
Turbofail
Australia, great place, but when it comes to video games I'm fucking glad I left that place.

And then they expect places like EA to open up shop there. LOL. Good luck killing off the video game industry in Aus.
flyingpotatoofdoom's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/27/2009 05:25
flyingpotatoofdoom
You cant stop the signal.
winxile's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/29/2009 18:10
winxile
On 06.29.09 winxile said:

Don’t know if it will help in any way but this is the contact e-Mail they have posted for him.

I read also that he was born in England ?? What the hell ?

If thousands of us send him mail maybe it will register as a pin prick on an elephant, but what the heck.

minister@dbcde.gov.au
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