7 Apr 2008 | Comment
A new Indonesian law poses the threat of restrictions on the arts, writes David Jardine
The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), after very lengthy debate, has passed into law a bill aimed at outlawing online pornography — this despite the document containing an unclear definition of what constitutes ‘pornography’.
The protracted debate — the bill was introduced in 2005 — has concluded with what appears to be a formula allowing religious legislators to insert easily manipulated concepts such as ‘immorality’ into the law.
Some observers, including Zatni Arbi, the country’s leading information technology commentator, have warned that the new law, which criminalizes the provision, use and transmission of pornographic websites, might in the future be used to shut down other websites carrying information and opinion deemed by the government to be unacceptable.
(more…)
19 Feb 2008 | Digital Freedom, News and features
Finnish blogger Matti Nikki is facing an investigation into whether he aided the distribution of child pornography. The anti-censorship campaigner’s website, on which he published a list of over 1,500 websites that have been blocked by the Finnish authorities, has itself been closed down.
Authorities in Finland have had the right to block foreign sites that contained child pornography since late 2006. However, Nikki’s site is located in Finland, and does not itself contain any pornography. Of the sites he has listed, only two are known to contain images of children.
Read Matti Nikki’s full account here
15 Feb 2008 | Comment
London Underground’s ban of an exhibition advert is elitist, writes Edward Lucie-Smith
Exhibition organisers at the Royal Academy are expressing bewilderment and outrage, at least in public, because the people who run advertising for the London Underground have decided to ban a poster featuring a nude Venus by the German 16th century artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. In private, they must be hugging themselves. At the time of writing three major newspapers have picked up the story – the Guardian, the Daily Mail and the Evening Standard, and it is out on the Press Association wire service. Doubtless other newspapers will follow. It’s the kind of publicity you couldn’t buy, for an exhibition that many people might think of as being a bit esoteric and scholarly – in a phrase, above their heads. The RA have even got an influential MP on their side. John Whittingdale, chair of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, is quoted as saying: “The decision is absolutely bonkers. This was painted around 500 years ago.” (more…)
