MEDIA RELEASE: War Against Free Speech Begins

[Internet Freedom (by way of Arie Dirkzwager <aried@xs4all.nl>)]

MEDIA RELEASE-IMMEDIATE                 9 September 1999

MUNICH SUMMIT - "BEGINS THE WAR AGAINST FREE SPEECH ON THE INTERNET"

Internet Freedom unreservedly condemns attempts by the Internet industry,
policy makers and law enforcement agencies to enforce industry regulation
of the Internet, calling it a "short cut to censorship".

This Friday 10 September The Bertelsmann Foundation ,which is a member of
the pro-rating group Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA), will
present a "Memorandum on Self-Regulation" at the Internet Content Summit in
Munich, Germany. The memorandum outlines international proposals to
regulate content on the Net.

According to CNET News.com, who have obtained access to the memo, it
proposes that web sites develop codes of conduct, Internet Service
Providers remove illegal sites, governments and industry groups set up hot
lines for people to report questionable online content, an improved
'architecture' for the rating and filtering of Internet content, the
labelling of material by content providers, and the provision of filters
for Internet users.

A similar plan sponsored by the Internet Content Rating for Europe (INCORE)
is also likely to be proposed at the summit.

Contrary to its much-hyped packaging, so-called rating schemes do not
operate like film classification. Material is not merely labelled according
to some third-party judgement as to its content, but is physically blocked
to prevent access. Any adult can see an '18' certificate film if the
choose, but they will not be able to visit sites blocked by their service
providers, by libraries, by their employers or by regulatory bodies.
Experience in the UK has already shown the eagerness of sections of the
industry to block legal material deemed offensive to adults. Moreover, the
absence of accountability inherent in industry regulation means that
Internet users may not even know of the existence of material that is
screened out. In common with film classification, rating will mean that a
vast body of unrated material will be effectively censored. Some of the
leading search engines have already indicated that they will cease to list
unrated material.

Rating and filtering disempowers parents by taking the judgement of
material out of their hands and placing it firmly in the grip of service
providers, industry regulators and content providers. More importantly, it
will make children the focus of concern for all originators of content,
regardless of the intended audience, making the needs of children the
orientation of the entire Internet. This can only have devastating
consequences for freedom of expression.

The UK has been treated as a guinea pig for the war on free speech. For
more than three years the Internet Watch Foundation has operated a hotline
for reporting controversial material, ISPs have routinely removed
'potentially' illegal web sites, and the government has regularly
emphasised its commitment to filtering and rating. In 1996 Science and
Technology Minister Ian Taylor warned that in the absence of
self-regulation, the police would take action against service providers as
well as the originators of illegal material. The Internet industry may have
felt it had no choice, but self regulation has meant that UK Net users are
among the most heavily policed in the world.


Chris Ellison, chief spokesman for the Campaign, commented:

"For some years would-be censors have bemoaned the technical difficulty of
censoring Net material. The widespread adoption of content rating will for
the first time make censorship a technical possibility. The proposals will
empower no one but the industry bodies themselves. The Munich Summit marks
the beginning of an international war on free speech on the Net."

For further comment call Chris Ellison on 00 44 (0) 956 129 518

NOTES

1. Internet Freedom is one of the UK's leading cyber liberties campaigns.
Their web site is at http://www.netfreedom.org. They can be contacted on 00
44 (0) 171 681 1559 or emailed on campaign at netfreedom.org.

2. The Internet Content Summit will be held in Munich on September 9-11,
1999, where the Bertelsmann Foundation will present its "Memorandum on
Self-Regulation." Information about the summit can be found at
http://www.stiftung.bertelsmann.de/internetcontent/english/frameset.htm?cont
ent/
c1000.htm

3. The Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) was formed in April 1999
to develop, implement and manage an internationally acceptable voluntary
self-rating system. ICRA members include America Online Europe, Bertelsmann
Foundation, Microsoft, IBM, British Telecom, British Telecom, Demon
Internet (UK), EuroISPA, Internet Watch Foundation, Microsoft, Software &
Information Industry Association, and T-Online Germany. ICRA's website is
at http://www.icra.org/

4. Internet Content Rating for Europe (INCORE) was set up by a group of
European organisations with a common interest in industry self-regulation
and rating of Internet content. It is now focused on a project which aims
to create a generic rating and filtering system suitable for European
users. This is being funded by the European Commission in 1999. INCORE's
web site is at http://www.incore.org/