The creeping hand of censorship and the state

Every day it seems the government is interfering in our freedoms, usually using some pretext or other involving something that some don't like to bring out a raft of legislation to give them (the state) a degree of control over who sees what and how. The internet is of course one of their biggest bugbears, the rapid dissemination of information and news through it causes governments throughout the world headaches, even if a lot of it is half truths and conspiracy theories, though the current Wikileaks hoo hah is a prime example of governments getting upset over their dirty washing being aired in public, even if non of it was too surprising or particularly controversial.
One of their methods is of course to attack our freedoms by attacking porn. There are certainly some disgusting examples out there and some of it does break current UK laws, though as it isn't held on UK sites, there's not a lot the government can do other than prosecute those who download it here. Well that's never stopped the state for looking out for a means to control the internet access we have.

Telegraph.

Ed Vaizey, the communications minister, has called a meeting with the country’s biggest broadband providers, including BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk, to explore changing how pornography gets into homes.

Instead of using parental controls to stop access to explicit websites, a block will be placed at source, meaning adults will have to specifically opt in to receive the images.

The move is designed to prevent children from being exposed to sex at an early age and follows warnings about the hidden impact of pornography.

However, many technology experts said the plans were unworkable even if the broadband providers signed up to a voluntary code. It relies upon the Government or the internet service providers themselves having a complete and up-to-date list of pornographic websites.

Also, critics argued, the move was "censorship through the back door", and could end up restricting many legitimate websites.

And I've no doubt, the critics are right, the government of this country have driven a horse and cart through our ancient rights over the last 30 years or so, so an attack on what we look at on the internet is not that surprising. Using porn as the pretext is part of their usual "for the cheeldren" approach as it gets over protective numpty parents on board to support various illiberal pretexts to censorship. If they don't want their kids looking at porn, don't give the kids internet access in their bedrooms out of site of the parents, simples. Though truth be told, most kids can run rings around their parents when it comes to technology, still, with graphic images, it's a lot harder. Though the parents have no control over what their kids will see at other kids homes. Still, the government shouldn't be encouraged to think they can get away with this sort of thing and such measures need to be fought for by civil liberties groups, because once the government have a degree of control, the bastards are sure to expand it to block sites that they don't want us to see involving the government. Much easier to control us if we don't know what's going on after all.