tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post4147169114314534703..comments2023-10-24T10:09:22.146+01:00Comments on The Yorkshire Ranter: Burn, Hollywood, Burnham!Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17153530634675543954noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post-31322510426385423182008-12-30T20:47:00.000+01:002008-12-30T20:47:00.000+01:00Isn't your response a little bit over the top. Unl...Isn't your response a little bit over the top. Unless I've missed something, all he's suggesting is that ISPs should have to provide packages that allow parents to limit the kinds of websites their children can access. Now one can argue with this, but you seem to be arguing with a position he hasn't actually taken.cianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12792805870968697706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post-83160541697969151332008-12-30T13:31:00.000+01:002008-12-30T13:31:00.000+01:00Interesting post - I'm going to try and comment he...Interesting post - I'm going to try and comment here because Alternate Seat of TYR doesn't ever seem to register my comments (it's not like they're full of swears or anything).<BR/><BR/>With respect to Fellow Traveller, I don't think Burnham's comments have anything to do with recent events in Greece. He's a typical New Labourite in that he's a reasonably intelligent person aping the narrow world view of a provincial moron in the interests of winning marginal votes. The internet censorship stuff is more akin to gov initiatives like the Byron Review on children's websites and gaming, or the binge-drinking and obesity scares. It's pandering to petit bourgeois morality.<BR/><BR/>As far as transatlantic co-operation is concerned, here is Secretary Michael Chertoff of the Department of Homeland Security speaking at the Cyber Security Inquiry:<BR/><BR/>"I'm very sensitive to the fact that the culture of the internet, as well as the actual architecture, is one which does not lend itself to government regulation and mandates. I think it would be a very dangerousroad to go down to have a lot of effort to have the government lay a heavy hand on the internet. There are countries in the world that do that, and they do it for nefarious purposes".<BR/><BR/>http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/12/29/3880436.htm<BR/><BR/>Granted, Chertoff is of the outgoing administration (and was the author of the PATRIOT Act) but he has served in Democrat administrations as well and I don't think views on internet regulation differ that radically cross-party in the States. Besides which, when it comes to internet regulation, the number 1 topic in the US right now is network neutrality, not child-proofing websites. So I don't think Burnham's going to have much joy getting agreement of any kind on this measure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post-72021798131383938332008-12-29T22:20:00.000+01:002008-12-29T22:20:00.000+01:00"Ministry of Culture" has a sinister ring to it. T..."Ministry of Culture" has a sinister ring to it. There are lots of them now (Britain, NZ, Turkey etc). But which was the first country to have one? Nazi Germany? And aren't there Ministries of Culture in Brave New World and/or 1984 performing exactly this function of censorship? Anyone out there remember?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12387222044394671913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post-30241615510211095382008-12-29T20:58:00.000+01:002008-12-29T20:58:00.000+01:00You've hit on the correct underlying fear behind t...You've hit on the correct underlying fear behind this censorship move - it has to do with class and the traditional English terror of the rampaging mob. We've just seen video of Greek youths tearing up the streets and throwing them at coppers for several weeks. The wise heads in the government no doubt fear similar insurrection and want to head off any possibility (no matter how unlikely) of it happening on our little benighted island. Uncontrolled working class aggression linked with uncontrolled sexual passion represent the two bugbears of any right thinking conservative. Repressing the expression in public of both these instincts almost constitutes the whole of the conservatives view of what government exists to do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5467119.post-86898263909382119282008-12-29T09:43:00.000+01:002008-12-29T09:43:00.000+01:00But it is just the thin edge of the wedge is it no...But it is just the thin edge of the wedge is it not? I can imagine when they will say that Aljazerra is unsuitable for anyone of any age and try to block that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com