Propaganda victory Chinese propaganda channel CGTN works round Ofcom's ban and will now again be available across Europe
US News
A gold star for Texas Texas Senate passes a bill requiring social media companies to fully explain their censorship
decisions and allow a legal route for appeals
Cuts and Bans
Snake in the Eagles Shadow 1978 Hong Kong action comedy by Woo-Ping Yuen, once cut by the BBFC, set for UK Blu-ray release on 3rd May 2021
Childish word games Dakota Johnson calls for the 'right' words to be used when referring to sex toys
Internet Porn
Commented: Counting on porn Anti-porn campaigners analyse video titles on major porn tubes and with the help of a little
stretching of the English language conclude that 1 in 8 are 'sexually violent'
MelonFarmers.co.uk is an anti-censorship campaigning website.
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The Digital Economy Act 2017 threatened to introduce strict age verification for internet porn access coupled with ISP blocking for websites that don't comply.
However the legislation was fundamentally flawed by its voluntary approach to privacy and security. After a series of delays, the age verification section of the bill was put out of its misery in October 2019.
The censorship of internet porn will now
be carried over into the Online Harms Bill which has wider ambitions on the censorship of the whole internet. This bill will be discussed during 2020. An interesting foible is that if the censorship rules are a bit tough for US internet giants then these
may become a negotiating point in the upcoming trade talks with the US.
Prior to the Online Harms Bill will be consideration of the extension of EU VoD censorship under an updated AVMS directive. Ofcom had previously mirrored censorship
arrangements as proposed for the Digital Economy Act but now may need to reconsider as age verification services will not be so readily available. Also there is the issue that any onerous censorship/age verification requirements would only apply to
websites run from Britain so onerous rules may prove very unfair.
Meanwhile the Information Commissioner's Office has published wide ranging age verification requirements for most websites in the name of data protection for children, Eg Amazon
shoppers may have to prove being 16+ before being allowed to hand over personal details to online checkouts. Since the draft, ICO downgraded 'age verification' to 'age assurance' suggesting that less rigorous age checking may be sufficient. ICO have
probably created a difficulty for companies to earn a living, as the no data slurping requirement for kids may prove attractive to adults too. Users may prove a little reluctant to 'assure' their age.
Best Short Docmentary Hong Kong bans broadcast of the Oscars Award Ceremony as China is sensitive about a nominated film about the Hong Kong democracy
protests
Ofcom 10th
Apr
Propaganda victory Chinese propaganda channel CGTN works round Ofcom's ban and will now again be available across
Europe
US News
A gold star for Texas Texas Senate passes a bill requiring social media companies to fully explain their censorship
decisions and allow a legal route for appeals
Childish word games Dakota Johnson calls for the 'right' words to be used when referring to sex toys
Internet Porn
Commented: Counting on porn Anti-porn campaigners analyse video titles on major porn tubes and with the help of a little
stretching of the English language conclude that 1 in 8 are 'sexually violent'
Sexual Expression is Being Banned Online Free Speech Coalition Europe petitions the EU about considering the rights of sex workers
in upcoming internet censorship laws
