THE federal Government plans to outlaw using the internet for [alleged] "offensive and menacing purposes", proposing new laws that could mean two years in prison for activities like organising or advocating [alleged] violent protests through the internet. A joint statement from Communications Minister Senator Richard Alston and Justice Minister Chris Ellison said the new laws were part of a crackdown on e-crime."People using the internet to advocate or facilitate [alleged] violent protests, for example by [allegedly] spreading information on methods of violently disrupting international meetings and [allegedly] attacking police officers protecting such gatherings, including those using the internet to [allegedly] harass or menace others are amongst those who could be prosecuted under the new offences," the statement [should] say.
Other targets would include those using the internet to [allegedly] encourage criminal acts. The new laws are part of a package of legislation that will [allegedly] tackle other offences including child pornography and the rebirthing of mobile phones.
The legislation will also introduce "criminal penalties for [allegedly] placing material on the internet that would be regarded by reasonable persons as being, in all the circumstances, [allegedly] offensive". [A government stooge reasonable person?]
However, the new laws will include specific exemptions for internet service providers and content hosts "where they do not have knowledge of the content of the material that they transmit or host".
Under current laws, it is an offence to use a telecommunications service "in a way that would be considered by a reasonable person as offensive, or with the result that another person is menaced or harassed". The proposed legislation would extend the provisions to cover the internet, which is not covered under existing legislation.
"The new offence will carry a penalty of two years imprisonment, double the punishment for an existing offence," the statement says.
By Australian Mate 20 August 03
Ed: Yet the Police PR spin and 'crack-downs,' fear-mongering, and Government propagandists, the electronic News Papers, and Corporate Medial Giants can, fear-monger and harass people until the cows come home with impunity?
Related:
The Daily Telegraph licensed to set up prisoners?
A man who smuggled a mobile phone into a Sydney jail and took pictures of stockbroker Rene Rivkin has been sentenced to 400 hours of community service.
Daily Terrorist burns woman at the stake
But in an extraordinary letter, Kathleen Folbigg maintains her innocence declaring: "Vindication will one day be mine." Folbigg wrote the revealing four-page letter to her foster sister, Lea Bown, two weeks ago from the isolation wing of Mulawa women's jail at Silverwater. The 36-year-old has been in custody since a Supreme Court jury found her guilty of smothering her four children to death.
JUST BEAT IT! Govt lauds crime-solving technology?
But is this technology a way for the government to identify you as a potential criminal in case you get in the way or because you're an agitator?
Islamic movement denies links to Al Qaeda
The Islamic Youth Movement has denied having any links to Al Qaeda and says it is considering legal action against the Four Corners [Walls] program. In a statement released early this morning, the group rejects allegations it is helping coordinate any kind of terrorist network inside Australia and says it is being unfairly targeted.
About Protesting &: Corporate media, Ben English and Rachel Morris who spell their names in capitals? Yes too right! Ordinary people some protesting against the occupation, murder and genocide of hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children. And you call yourselves reporters? You should hang your head in shame and go get jobs defending those poor innocent people. Shame on you!!!
