CyberLaw Blog

Archive for October 1st, 2008

New watchdog to make websites carry ‘cinema-style’ age certificates | Mail Online: “New watchdog to make websites carry ‘cinema-style’ age certificates

By Kirsty Walker, Last updated at 10:00 PM on 29th September 2008″

Video-sharing websites – such as YouTube – could be forced to carry cinema-style guidance ratings, it has emerged.

Ministers are planning to introduce tough new rules to make websites carry age certificates and warning signs on films featuring sex, violence or strong language.

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said that tougher content guidance would help parents monitor their children’s internet use.

The move is in response to growing fears about the internet’s ‘dark side’. An influential group of MPs recently warned that many social networking and video-sharing websites contain material unsuitable for children.

Mr Burnham said he wanted online content to meet the same standards required for television and the cinema. At the moment, there is no overall regulation of the internet.

The Culture Secretary said video clips may soon have to carry ratings such as the ‘U’, ‘PG’, ‘12′ and ‘18′ ones used by cinemas.
(more…)

Kenan Malik: A culture of self-censorship is the real legacy of the reaction to The Satanic Verses: “Kenan Malik: Inayat Bunglawala is wrong; a culture of self-censorship is the real legacy of the reaction to The Satanic Verses”

(Via guardian.co.uk Comment is free.)

Home Office finally approves UK cybercoppers: “

E-crime unit gets green light but overlap worries remain

The Home Office has finally approved the creation of a central police e-crime Unit(PCeU), a year after the idea was first proposed.…

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(Via The Register – Public Sector.)