A call to arms for all industry players?

[Mr Kinky]

Please forgive my ignorance but what?s the worst they are likely to do? They can?t ban adult sites outright as they are a fact of life.

Would they consider introducing a US 2257 style law to shift the responsibility of proof for content onto the publisher/webmaster or perhaps create a BBFC style organisation to review web sites?

[strictlybroadband]

Mr Kinky wrote:

> Please forgive my ignorance but what?s the worst they are
> likely to do? They can?t ban adult sites outright as they are a
> fact of life.
>
> Would they consider introducing a US 2257 style law to shift
> the responsibility of proof for content onto the
> publisher/webmaster or perhaps create a BBFC style organisation
> to review web sites?

I agree the chance that the government will attempt to ban online porn is low. It's likely the BBFC and OFCOM will extend their remit onto the web, which means content producers will have to jump through more hoops... but many producers already have to do this for DVD anyway. I'm optimistic this won't be too bad for the industry, but agree with Terry - we need to be active now rather than wait for the outcome.

[Phil mCc]

Bigger deals are done under tables Terry. Understanding how the ISP's work is how regulation can work. It won't look like current OFCOM rules or BBFC rules or C&E rules but be a mixture of all. An ISP can if it chooses ban a web address so if a few big ISP's ban your web-site the consumers won't get it. ISP's won't just ban a web-site unless they agree it is ilegal because they make shit-loads of money through traffic.
The biggest issue on the horizon is the Euro-Broadcast-regulations OFCOM have to do something about it and they are meeting everyone who could affect that. It works in our favour because every country has to show it is regulating all media, this was formally call "Any frontiers Act" but they all hated it so changed the name. If it has been regulated in Spain then it can legally transmited to rest of Europe, so prepare yourself for Bloody Bullfighting during your dinner hour. OFCOM don't want that so they will work with the ISP's to prevent the good people of the UK getting it.
The last time I spoke with OFCOM they claimed to have done some radical things themselves so maybe they will listen, they certainly are not the ITC who were a nightmare. I hope they ban SKY's 18 soft channels this is no place for soft porn promising to be hard porn. We should have 18R style content available FREE and with subscription and with VOD and PPV Live events all this behind a closed door, Double pin protected, no freeview outside this area. Finally in Hi-Def on your big screen. HANDS UP WHO SAY'S YES. Sorry for shouting but PlayTV will offer that and as an ISP I will be delivering it.

Phil McC

[Mr Kinky]

In my opinion it would be quite difficult for anyone to be the censor (or certifier) for the internet.

Would the BBFC type organisation (if created) certify the content (ie individual pictures) or would they certify the complete site? As web sites change regularly it would be impractical for the same procedures for film to be carried forward onto the web.

Personally I would welcome the ability for someone to check over my site and give me a certificate to say that it was acceptable (and legal) for viewing in the UK however the fact that I update the site every day would make a mockery of the whole certification process.

[Phil mCc]

Mr Kinky, its not that hard to censor, OFCOM don't censor like the BBFC. They have some guidlines you agree to them and they give you a license. You step outside those guidlines they punish you and could close you down. Any ISP can do the same, with me I give you a set of guidlines and a contract. You step just outside you get a warning. You step well outside you get closed down your payment gateway shut any money you have locked in and your details handed over to the correct authorities.
OFCOM will start with the ISP's not the web-sites,

Phil McC

[SimonP]

look at china mate all Adult sites are banned , the more they regulate the more it goes underground

[Phil mCc]

Warren thats why its a forum, so we all can air views, Terry has concerns that many of us share but we all are different positions so see the solutions in different ways. So your view on a fight or support in one would be welcome, standing on the fence poking holes is not. Simon P is right with China not only do they regulate inside China but also all material coming out of China has to be approved by goverment. GDB have a major share in a Chinese company and to get the approval to use Chinese content a share of the company was given to the goverment. Now we get access to thousands of hours of state TV for global delivery. There is always a solution.
A better example of internet regulation was Turkey, the authorities had an issue with U-Tube, it contained a load of material that the Turkish felt was illegal, mainly inflamatory and insulting to the Turkish goverment. U-Tube ignored their demand to have it removed, so the Turkish goverment ordered all the ISP's to block U-Tube. If you was in Turkey and typed in U-tube you get a blank page. Simple but effective regulation. The UK will follow a similar method I am sure, any website that carries offensive material will be blocked and any forein ISP that hosts the site will be blocked too. The ISP's will not agree to block any normal porn web-site because the revenues on banwidth is to high and provided the site is not carrying content that anyone can't buy from a sex shop or be posted in from abroad even without an 18R. So provided the site sticks to a few simple rules which we all do anyway it can trade without fear of prosecution. Now thats my version of it and I intend to present that and offer to block any site that carry's offensive or illegal content. Its worth the mention we currently handle 1% of all UK traffic and when the new data-center is built in Gatwick we could go up as much as 15% on a good day.

Phil McC

[strictlybroadband]

warren zevon rip wrote:

> Looks like my support won't be required, as your colleagues
> don't seem to agree with you that there is a problem.

I don't think that's the case. We can all see changes coming up that will affect our businesses. Some of us are more optimistic/pessimistic than others, but since we don't know what shape the new law(s) will take, it's all guesswork at the moment.

I think we'd all agree that we need to be proactive about defending the interests of both industry and audience. Now the discussion should be about what that means in practise.