Italy's First Steps in Censoring the Internet

mijio writes "It's not the first time that Italy discusses Internet censorship. The last year, after some guys appeared in a video punching and blaming a kid with Down syndrome, Minister of Education Fioroni brought in to trial two of Google Italy's managers and then proposed and strongly sustained his idea of censoring the Internet to protect the young. Now Ricardo Levi, the prime minister's right hand, is finally successful in promulgating his law on internet censorship. With the goal of "promoting and enriching the pluralism of information," the law rules that everyone involved in "editorial activity" must be subscribed to the "Registry of Operators of Communication" to be prosecutable in case of defamation, where "editorial product" is defined as "any product with purpose of information, education, divulgation, entertainment, aimed at publication, no matter the form it is realized in and the mean it is distributed with." When inquired about the effects of this rule for bloggers, Levi responded, "We have no interest in touching amatorial or personal sites, it would be not feasible". The Times speaks about this paradox as well."

How's this for defamation?

[Associate]

Italy sucks!
Regulate that.

Idiots

[unity100]

"registering all web site operators" scheme was proposed even in turkey, then abandoned. italians are even behind turkey when it comes to internet, apparently. "protecting the young" my butt. the only thing the young need protection from, are rotten spirited politicians like those.

In other news...

[PHAEDRU5]

Italy has a Minister of Finance.

anyone else see a contradiction?

[hcmtnbiker]

after some guys appeared in a video punching and blaming a kid with Down syndrome

then proposed and strongly sustained his idea of censoring the Internet to protect the young.

Anyone else see a glaring contradiction here? If it was censored no one would have ever seen the video, in turn the kid would have never had his story shown, and in turn no one would have ever cared about him getting punched. The problem with censoring "graphical" content is it promotes exactly what the supporters of the censoring tell you it's trying to avoid, apathy.

Re:Sure is lots of censorship going on in Europe

[whoever57]

Why do so many Europeans need to be protected from themselves and why do they allow it?

Europeans wonder why Americans need to be protected against seeing human skin and natural acts between consenting adults.

Old sig

[PinkyGigglebrain]

"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge,
For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master"

I used to use this as my sig, I think I'll start doing it again. FYI, its a paraphrase of the last part of a statement in by Pravin Lal in Sid Meyer's Alpha Centuari.

Heres the full text:
"As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century, free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last loose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."
-- Commissioner Pravin Lal, "Librarian's Preface"

Re:This is happening in Germany as well

[ElMiguel]

I've been living and working in Germany for about a month now

Isn't it a bit early to make that sort of general statements about Germany?