2 Congressional Democrats Come Out in Support of Porn-Free Internet Alternative

[srrRSSbot]

Despite resistance from public interest groups and free-speech advocates, two Congressional democrats have expressed their support for a proposal that would create a free Internet alternative that has zero adult content.

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Source: XBiz
Publication Date: 08-12-2008 11:00 AM

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by srrRSSbot Despite resistance from public interest groups and free-speech advocates, two Congressional democrats have expressed their support for a proposal that would create a free Internet alternative that has zero adult content.

From the article above:

The proposed rule itself, available in PDF format at the end of this article, would require that all content on this new Internet be acceptable to a five-year-old audience, and that anyone who wanted to access other content would have to opt into an "adult content" list that would most likely include mainstream websites like the news. Leslie Harris, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology, lambasted the proposed rule. It's not just the rights of the network's customers that would be trampled in this crazy scheme," said Harris, who spent two decades working as a civil liberties, technology and Internet lawyer. "The service provider charged with implementing this constitutionally suspect scheme would have to assemble a government mandated black list of content to be blocked, thus raising the specter of unconstitutional prior restraint." Online guru Brandon "Fight the Patent" told XBIZ that although he likes the sound of a free Internet, the idea isn't without fault. "Sure, it's a great idea to provide access to the Internet for those that can't afford it," he said. "Computers are getting cheaper every day. More families can afford one, and with this new plan, they wouldn't have to pay a monthly fee. Blocking porn isn't a big deal, but it would still be a challenge for network providers to block it, as website operators and surfers will surely fiind each other anyways."

This article is somewhat misleading. It's not an "Internet alternative" so much as a new wireless way to access the existing Internet on new bands similar to G3.

Also, the licensee would have to provide a filter that blocks text and images that are "obscene or pornographic" or otherwise harmful to children age 5 to 17. It also permits the operator to block access to peer to peer networks or other similar tools if the network filters cannot adequately block this content. This is a serious concern, but it appears to apply only to free broadband services.

See pages 25 and 26 of the FCC proposal.