🚀 go-pugleaf

Kevin Lentin (kevinl@fangorn.cs.monash.edu.au) wrote:
: Malcolm Miles (Malcolm.Miles@f260.n633.z3.fidonet.org) wrote:
: > And where is the EFA? We now have legislation in Victoria, Queensland
: > and WA that may seriously affect the way I run my hobby. So far not a
: > word from the EFA. Earlier in the year, the EFA posted plenty of
: > information about similar proposed laws in the USA and encouraged us to
: > voice our disapproval. In contrast there has barely been any statement
: > from the EFA about these pieces of local legislation and how it affects
: > me as a BBS operator.
: 
: My reading of Mr Perton's mail seemed to give me the impression that the
: law in Vic was particularly sensible and will not affect your hobby unless
: you're hobby involves exposing minors to pornography or other such similar
: offences. It specifically excludes systems that pass on info such as the
: web and usenet. If you have not read Mr Perton's mail (I am pretty sure I
: read it in this group) then I suggest you do. It's a very interesting
: description of the legislation. It's from an MP, I know, but he was quoting
: legislation and second reading speeches directly.

Maybe you're less paranoid than I am, Kev, but I found Mr. Perton's
mail to be a little too sparse on details to allay my fears; it looked
too much like a knee-jerk "no, this won't hurt a bit" statement, an
attempt to mollify the critics without actually saying anything 
definitive or making any commitments.

Maybe this legislation is nothing to worry about; maybe it is. 
it still sounds rather poorly researched and drafted.  It's still a
worry (but not as much as current happenings in the US Congress with the
Communications Decency Act and the Christian Coalition :-/ ).

-- 
acb@cs.monash.edu.au        "These crazy words of mine,
http://www.zikzak.net/~acb      so wrong they could be..."