Free Speech, Yahoo and filtering

[David Goldstein <goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au>]

Hi all

a couple of stories from ZDNet dealing with filtering and free speech
issues, and including comments from Peng Hwa ang in one.

Cheers
David

Online free speech is not so free

 By Ariel Tam
ZDNet Asia 
January 22, 2001 3:12 PM PT
 
SINGAPORE - The recent hullabaloo over the Nazi-auctions French
lawsuit against Yahoo! Inc. has brought to light the problematic
issue of free speech on the Internet. 
Last year, the French court ordered Yahoo to stop Internet users in
France from accessing Yahoo auction sites where Nazi artifacts are
sold. Yahoo had defended the sale of such paraphernalia, citing
historic value as justification. 

Yahoo has since reverted its policy concerning the sale of offensive
items associated with extremist groups. Taboo items now include Nazi
medals, posters, weapons, uniforms and Ku Klux Klan memorabilia. 
 
See http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2677192,00.html for
the full story.

TalkBack Central: Filtering not ideal

 By Scott A. Crosby, student
Special to ZDNet 
January 22, 2001 5:39 PM PT
 
If filtering actually worked, I wouldn't mind it. If filtering banned
what a majority of people called smut, but allowed anything that was
gray to go through, then I wouldn't mind it so much. 
Smut doesn't have a place in libraries. However, an educational site
on sex (with pictures) -- which is not something I'd call smut --
should be allowed to go through. Now, some people feel that anything
touching on sex should be blocked, and they would use filtering as an
excuse for these excessive blocks. 
 
See http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2676880,00.html
for the full story

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David Goldstein

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