Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Free expression under fire from Brussels
THE TIMES: THE Government is seeking to prevent an EU directive that could extend broadcasting regulations to the internet, hitting popular video-sharing websites such as YouTube.

The European Commission proposal would require websites and mobile phone services that feature video images to conform to standards laid down in Brussels.

Ministers fear that the directive would hit not only successful sites such as YouTube but also amateur “video bloggers” who post material on their own sites. Personal websites would have to be licensed as a “television-like service”. Amateur 'video bloggers' under threat from EU broadcast rules
Mark Alexander

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Nice to see their true authoritarian tendancies right out front and centre, all in the name of tolerance and understanding of course.

I do wonder if and when civil war, or at the very least, massive civil unrest, does descend upon much of Europe, just what will be the understanding of those same elites, as they witness incredible death, destruction and chaos, right under their eyes...continued denial I suspect, for narcissists such as these, to reflect upon their own culpability is simply not only not possible, but also unthinkable.

mirrorman said...

The boozy barmy army of Brussels beaurocrats strikes again!

We are still in a phase where freedom of speech (and image) is the norm on the iternet, and should these do-gooding paper-shufflers get their way, then the growth of the internet will be stifled, or so they hope.

It is obvious though, in a trans-national world, that what canot be uploaded in Europe, could not be prevented to being uploaded in USA, and other territories such as Russia, where for differing reasons, freedom of expression is not curtailed so easily.

What will they do?
Will Europe go to the expense of installing "gateways" that filter all video content before it arrives at a European ISP? (Near impossible)
Or will they impose fines on YouTbe etc for allowing certain material onto their site? How can they regulate it then, when the videos could have entered the Internet in a non-European territory?

Yet another reason to let the Brussels European nghtmare collapse.

I hope this news will soon set the vast majority of sensible internet users to give them a big "V" sign.

Up yours Jose "Fingers" Barroso!

Unknown said...

Sorry, should have directed my snide comment directly at the European commission, though just how much of a fight will Westminster put up against this, is open to question; probably nothing much that would inspire faith and respect in any of their own countrymen. So I expect to see this one go through with nary a whimper.

And so, once again a dark curtain descends upon Europe.

Mark said...

Just Another Richard:

Each day, I read about something that is to be regulated or banned. We've all heard of the "Reign of Terror" in the French Revolution, haven't we? Well we are living through the "Reign of Banning"! Just about anything and everything which gives people pleasure has been banned, or is in the process of being banned. All power is to rest with the state from now on, it seems. The people are to be emasculated.

I'm sick of it. I'm sure many others are, too. When enough people get sick of it, there will be civil unrest.

Add to this the growth of Islam in the West, and Muslims' belligerence. It won't be long before Europe erupts. Europe will soon become like a tinder-box.

Mark said...

Mirrorman:

Yet another reason to let the Brussels European nghtmare collapse.

I think there might be more than an element of truth in that statement.

Mark said...

Just Another Richard:

And so, once again a dark curtain descends upon Europe.

Yep. That "Dark Age" is just around the corner. But it won't be confined to Europe. It will radiate outwards, taking in America too.

Always On Watch said...

Is the West going to submit to the EU? If that happens, we'd better crawl in a hole and pull in the dirt behind us!

From the article (emphasis mine): Ministers fear that the directive would hit not only successful sites such as YouTube but also amateur “video bloggers” who post material on their own sites. Personal websites would have to be licensed as a “television-like service”.

As you're probably aware, Google just bought YouTube. Not good!

And more and more videos have been banned as hate speech at YouTube, while the porn videos are up and running there (so I've heard). Many of the banned videos related to speaking out against Islam.

Free speech, once lost, is lost for generations--at the least.

Mark said...

Always:

Is the West going to submit to the EU? If that happens, we'd better crawl in a hole and pull in the dirt behind us!

As I see it, if the EU gets away with this, then it is bound to reverberate throughout the free world. It's like the ban on smoking. Once one country, or city, introduces a ban, then it isn't long before other countries and cities follow suit. Politicians, it seems, have stopped thinking for themselves. They are just like sheep.

As you're probably aware, Google just bought YouTube. Not good!

Yes, I am. Google dented its reputation when it entered the Chinese market, voluntarily censoring their search engine to appease the Chinese authorities.

And more and more videos have been banned as hate speech at YouTube, while the porn videos are up and running there (so I've heard). Many of the banned videos related to speaking out against Islam.

Yes. Everyone seems to be on the side of Muslims these days, even though they're out to destroy all that the West stands for, even though they are out to destroy Western civilization.

Free speech, once lost, is lost for generations--at the least.

Would it ever be resurrected after Islam gains control? That is the question. It took hundreds of years for Spain to be reconquered from the Moors, as you, a Spanish major, know only too well.

Eleanor © said...

Mark - Isn't the EU under the thumb of Islamists that participated in a dialogue as outlined by Bat Ye'or in her exposé Eurabia?

Eventually ethnic Europeans will find themselves immersed in a sea of Muslim migrants and Shari'a law imposed by their own ministers in Brussels and implemented by elected officials in European capitals, but with strings pulled by Arab imperialists.