Censorship?
May. 30th, 2007 12:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloI don't suppose there's ever been a society which allowed complete freedom of speech.
Modern Britain is about as close as it gets. But there are still areas- race, terrorism, Islam, paedophilia- in which it's wise to tread carefully.
And then there are our libel laws- which make it problematical to draw attention to the criminal goings-on of the very rich.
Since 911 there's been a tightening up- as of the sphincter. The politicians are jumpy and would prefer us to shut up around them. For instance they've made it illegal for us to protest- without police permission- within a one mile radius of the Palace of Westminster.
But that's not what concerns me today. I've just read (inzephyrcrow' s LJ) that LJ- under pressure from some noisy, self-righteous people- has been banning users whom it suspect sof nasty sexual habits.
If the rumours are true, it could be "fatal" to list things like "pedophilia" or "necrophilia" among your interests- even if you're doing it with irony, even if your interest is professional or academic.
I'm not happy about this. I don't particularly want to read about forbidden sexual pratices but I resent being told I can't.
I know there are lines to be drawn, but lets draw them as far out as we possibly can. If I'm hurting someone, stop me. If I'm just talking about hurting someone, let it pass.
But maybe the rumours aren't true.
Free speech is precious. We need to be able to talk frankly about the things that trouble us.
Out there in the badlands is also where the prophets live.
Modern Britain is about as close as it gets. But there are still areas- race, terrorism, Islam, paedophilia- in which it's wise to tread carefully.
And then there are our libel laws- which make it problematical to draw attention to the criminal goings-on of the very rich.
Since 911 there's been a tightening up- as of the sphincter. The politicians are jumpy and would prefer us to shut up around them. For instance they've made it illegal for us to protest- without police permission- within a one mile radius of the Palace of Westminster.
But that's not what concerns me today. I've just read (in
zephyrcrow' s LJ) that LJ- under pressure from some noisy, self-righteous people- has been banning users whom it suspect sof nasty sexual habits.If the rumours are true, it could be "fatal" to list things like "pedophilia" or "necrophilia" among your interests- even if you're doing it with irony, even if your interest is professional or academic.
I'm not happy about this. I don't particularly want to read about forbidden sexual pratices but I resent being told I can't.
I know there are lines to be drawn, but lets draw them as far out as we possibly can. If I'm hurting someone, stop me. If I'm just talking about hurting someone, let it pass.
But maybe the rumours aren't true.
Free speech is precious. We need to be able to talk frankly about the things that trouble us.
Out there in the badlands is also where the prophets live.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-30 02:03 pm (UTC)They have deleted an RPG villan journal--that's a fictional "THIS IS THE BAD GUY IN OUR STORIES" journal. And several fanfiction journals.
Some idiot lawyer told them that stating an "interest" in the topic could be seen as promoting it, and so they're deleting journals that have those topics--but only after the specific journal has been reported. There's a fanatic Christian group going around reporting people based on their interest lists.
I've amended mine. I don't think it had anything questionable in it before, but at least this way they won't be tracking through me to any of my friends who have questionable interests.
More details at http://catrinella.livejournal.com/151812.html and http://cordelia-v.livejournal.com/188534.htm.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-30 02:09 pm (UTC)This is stupid.
And I'm also cross at them for doing it without advance warning. Not only is it censorship, it's censorship by stealth.