[Linux-aus] Things not to post to planet linux australia

[Melissa Draper]

On Thu, 2009-03-26 at 16:09 +1030, Glen Turner wrote:
> Steven Hanley wrote:
> 
> > If you think LA should do some work along those lines, step up and start
> > working on it.
> 
> Um, the President of Linux Australia has just handed those promoting censorship
> a huge hug by characterising the ACMA Prohibited Content list as "child
> pornography". Not encouraging.

No.

The words Stewart used were:
"There is no way I am going to let there be a situation where the
federal police come knocking on my door asking about links to child
pornography hosted on a web site run by the organisation I am the
President of."

He has stated that he does not want to be put in a situation where he
might possibly be held personally accountable for other people posting
links to kiddie prons.

IANAL, but it is my understanding that Stewart is entitled to undertake
reasonable measures to protect himself as an individual from such a
situation, and as President of Linux Australia is obliged to undertake
reasonable measures to ensure that the organisation complies with its
legal responsibilities.

Without the latter of those two, we might as well cease to use this list
now -- as it's our ability to do so (amongst other things) that he is
protecting.

This is an endorsement of nothing.

> 
> For the record, about half of the list of ACMA Prohibited Content appears
> to be OFLC Refused Classification material.  A few items look like they
> are G rated (especially the dentist!).  More worryingly, a fair bit of the
> list seems to be inspired by the work of anti-this or pro-that lobby groups.
> 

And all we need is for one link from the *other* half to have the
potential for the situation Stewart described.

The process and the list is broken, yes. I'd wager that everyone reading
is in at least some form of agreement with that. We are within our
rights to challenge the issue, but please bear in mind that there are
right ways and wrong ways to do so.

Please choose a right way.

-- 
Melissa Draper

w: http://meldraweb.com & http://geekosophical.net
p: +61 4 0359 5395