Censorware Funded By The Japanese Government

sakichan writes "Most readers of /. won't know about the censorware funded by the Japanese Government. Recently I distributed tools to decrypt rating labels, not violating the license. One month after, IAJapan, which represents the Internet industry in Japan and runs the censorware project, changed the license. The new license prohibits not only reverse-engineering, but also "any activities which We consider would interfere with Our Purpose or business, by means of the use of the Software or the Services." Full story is on my web site."

Wow

[jmd!]

Prohibit any activities that "interfere" with "Their Purpose"? Almost makes the DMCA copyright extention look sane.

*thinks*

Nope. It's still ludicrous.

Nations Filtering Content.

[Syncdata]

I once thought the practice of blocking access to sites nationwide was going to be all but impossible, but it appears that the first baby steps being taken in the East have been somewhat succesful.
I'm interested in the effect such blocking software will have in a trade dispute. What if the EU, or it's individual nations implement such policies? Will http://www.boeing.com/ be unavailable in Europe due to lobbying by Airbus? Is this a paving the way for digital sanctions?

Re:Nations Filtering Content.

[quintessent]

I think we've already seen small-scale examples of this, when Yahoo was told to remove links to certain sites or be blocked.

Nations Filtering Content. and lack of freedom

[Kyusaku Natsume]

At te current rate, what will be the difference between the Chinese goverment and the goverment of Japan and USA in a couple of years? Sadly, looks like the people need a Tiannanmen square massacre at home to wake up.

Re:Nations Filtering Content.

[Alsee]

digital sanctions

0's may pass freely, but all 1 bits will be blocked.

-

Place your head against your PC railgun and relax.

[QuantumWeasel]

I'm sure the RIAA and MPAA are watching this closely and will be coming for us in the USA next. It's bad enough that a license can preemptively enjoin you from free speech, but I'm waiting for them to (1) outlaw thinking critical thoughts; and then (2) arguing that they don't have to prove that you had a critical thought before ordering a labotomy. I'm being a little facetious -- I hope -- but where will this dangerous nonsense end?

Re:Place your head against your PC railgun and rel

[Rick the Red]

There's an echo in here. Hey, AC, if you keep this up, I might have to go back to reading at 1; I read at 0 because sometimes an AC or two have something worth saying -- Don't ruin it for the rest of the AC's, parrot-boy.