Suzanne

WK4: That Balance and the New World Information Order

That Balance and the New World Information Order
Jim Hall

Legislation and content on the Internet – looking at how the existing laws apply to web and the need for create a new framework of rules.

Legislation Issues relate to Privacy, Free Speech, Government censorship to trying to protect children from inappropriate content.

First time that legislation must look at being global. Currently laws are separate from country to country, state to state. How can something be published in one country and viewed in another where its content would be considered illegal.

Where does the responsibility lie? ISP’s, publishers, writers, governments?

Censorship
The internet has made it easier to get around censorship laws that are imposed by some totalitarian states. Journalist can simply publish the article on a site (server) in another country.

Governments can block sites and try to control their users but the internet has been designed so the flow of information will never break.

Privacy & Surveillance
Internet is a powerful tool for corporations. Government and corporations can gather information, watch behaviour of citizens, employers and consumers.

Copyright
Globalisation and the nature of the internet is challenging Copyright and Intellectual Property issues. Although there are laws in place from country to country they don’t cover the vast spectrum of problems that globalization has caused.
1 Hyperlinks – sourcing someone else’s material and linking to it on its server.
2. Framing content to look like it is part of the site but it is actually being directly sourced from another.