Media Release

 

Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc.

For immediate release 21st December 1999

EFA MOVES WEBSITE OFFSHORE

Electronic Frontiers Australia has moved its website to the United States in response to Australian Internet censorship legislation which commences on 1st January 2000.

EFA webmaster Greg Taylor said, "In the absence of any precedent for the application of film and video classification guidelines to Internet content, it is impossible for us to know whether anything on our web site would be 'prohibited content' under the legislation. Although we don't believe we have published anything that might be deemed illegal, our site could well contain material with adult themes, which requires an adult verification system to be implemented. This would be an obstacle not only for our Australian readers, but also for our extensive overseas audience."

"It is quite ridiculous that material that can be legally published in a book in this country could run foul of the new online legislation because it is classified according to film guidelines. In other media, publishers can pay the Office of Film and Literature Classification for classification prior to publication, but this service is not offered to online content providers.

"Nothing would cause a potential reader to lose interest faster than having to comply with an onerous and intrusive age verification check," said Taylor. "Similarly we have no wish to be subject to a take-down notice aimed at silencing us, as some politicians would like to do. We want to be free to tell the world about the draconian censorship regime in Australia.

"We have therefore decided to move our website with the intent of placing it beyond the whims of Australian regulators."

 

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Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc -- http://www.efa.org.au/ representing Internet users concerned about on-line freedoms Email: [email protected] Phone: 02 9255 7969 Fax: 02 9255 7736 URL of this release: http://www.efa.org.au/Publish/PR991221.html

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• Media Contacts: Greg Taylor Danny Yee Ph 07 3370 6362 Phone: 02 9351 5159 [email protected] [email protected]
• BACKGROUND
• Blinded by Smoke: The Hidden Agenda of the Online Services Bill 1999 http://rene.efa.org.au/liberty/blinded.html
• Office of Film and Literature Classification http://www.oflc.gov.au/
• ABA registers code of practice http://www.aba.gov.au/about/public_relations/newrel_99/134nr99.htm
• IIA's Guide for Internet Users, 20th December 1999 (Users forced to buy censorship software, whether wanted or not.) http://www.iia.net.au/guideuser.html

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• Details on Australian Internet censorship are at http://www.aba.gov.au/what/online/index.htm
• Related item on this website: CALL TO COUNTER LOCALLY PRODUCED RACISM ON THE INTERNET
• Net Censorship Board (in Victoria) orders all access to Australian Federal Court system's website blocked