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Iceland's internet 'porn shield' is misguided and unworkable Iceland's internet 'porn shield' is misguided and unworkable
(7 months later)
Iceland's minister of interior, Ögmundur Jónasson, is backing a full online pornography ban for Iceland, which would be supported by an "anti-shield" preventing internet users from accessing certain sites.Iceland's minister of interior, Ögmundur Jónasson, is backing a full online pornography ban for Iceland, which would be supported by an "anti-shield" preventing internet users from accessing certain sites.
Since he claimed office as minister, Jónasson has brought forward progressive legislation and has shown that he can be a man of principles and courage. For that, I truly respect him. But he is way off track in his attempts to place a shield around Iceland in order to "stop porn" from entering the country. It is therefore with a heavy heart that I am forced to fight him on this occasion, even if I side with him on many different matters – such as fighting other laws which would do great harm to freedom of expression and speech.Since he claimed office as minister, Jónasson has brought forward progressive legislation and has shown that he can be a man of principles and courage. For that, I truly respect him. But he is way off track in his attempts to place a shield around Iceland in order to "stop porn" from entering the country. It is therefore with a heavy heart that I am forced to fight him on this occasion, even if I side with him on many different matters – such as fighting other laws which would do great harm to freedom of expression and speech.
Perhaps Jónasson has chosen to put forward the controversial bill because he simply doesn't know better. I admit that it is noble to have the desire to protect children from porn and gambling addicts from sites such as Betsson, but at what cost? The fact is that this bill has already made many companies think twice before hosting their business in Iceland – not because they support porn, but because they fear the country's laws could transit into the kind of full-blown censorship commonly attributed to countries like China and Saudi Arabia.Perhaps Jónasson has chosen to put forward the controversial bill because he simply doesn't know better. I admit that it is noble to have the desire to protect children from porn and gambling addicts from sites such as Betsson, but at what cost? The fact is that this bill has already made many companies think twice before hosting their business in Iceland – not because they support porn, but because they fear the country's laws could transit into the kind of full-blown censorship commonly attributed to countries like China and Saudi Arabia.
The minister's assistant, Halla Gunnarsdóttir, is even more misguided. She claimed in an interview that "if we can send a man to the moon, we must be able to tackle porn on the internet." It is obvious that she is unaware how the internet works; "walls" around it won't work unless you want to create your own internet, very much like they are doing in Iran.The minister's assistant, Halla Gunnarsdóttir, is even more misguided. She claimed in an interview that "if we can send a man to the moon, we must be able to tackle porn on the internet." It is obvious that she is unaware how the internet works; "walls" around it won't work unless you want to create your own internet, very much like they are doing in Iran.
Smári McCarthy, the executive director of Iceland Modern Media Initiative, said about the bizarre bill: "Modern electronic commerce requires cryptography, and cryptography precludes centralised censorship, even of harmful material. The way to combat gender inequality and sexual exploitation is to increase public awareness and encourage open discussion, not stifle information flows and violate telecommunications privacy."Smári McCarthy, the executive director of Iceland Modern Media Initiative, said about the bizarre bill: "Modern electronic commerce requires cryptography, and cryptography precludes centralised censorship, even of harmful material. The way to combat gender inequality and sexual exploitation is to increase public awareness and encourage open discussion, not stifle information flows and violate telecommunications privacy."
Thankfully, the possibility that this bill will pass through the parliament is near zero. The parliamentary committee tasked with discussing the censorship proposal, which I am part of, is looking into alternative ways to help parents to protect their children from online porn, mainly through free porn-filter software and educational means – as suggested by a recent report produced by Unicef in Iceland.Thankfully, the possibility that this bill will pass through the parliament is near zero. The parliamentary committee tasked with discussing the censorship proposal, which I am part of, is looking into alternative ways to help parents to protect their children from online porn, mainly through free porn-filter software and educational means – as suggested by a recent report produced by Unicef in Iceland.
Introducing censorship without compromising freedom of expression and speech is like trying to mix oil and water: it is impossible. I know my fellow MPs can often turn strange and dangerous laws into reality, but this won't be one of them.Introducing censorship without compromising freedom of expression and speech is like trying to mix oil and water: it is impossible. I know my fellow MPs can often turn strange and dangerous laws into reality, but this won't be one of them.
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