🚀 go-pugleaf

[This is an informational forward, and may not reflect the positions or
policy of EFA.]

I have just received the following.

Michael.

Date: Sun, 5 Mar 1995 13:07:28 +1030
From: Arthur Marsh <arthur@gateway.dircsa.org.au>
To: mbaker@seldon.apanix.apana.org.au
Subject: (fwd) Internet Raids/Seizures in HK

Hi, just noticed this one...

Arthur.

From: simondo@hk.super.net (Mr Simon Patkin)
Newsgroups: comp.bbs.tbbs,comp.bbs.majorbbs,alt.bbs
Subject: Internet Raids/Seizures in HK
Date: 4 Mar 1995 13:45:08 GMT
Organization: Hong Kong Supernet

Hong Kong Govt Seizes 7 Internet Providers


Yesterday the Hong Kong Government through OFTA raided the premises of 
7 Hong Kong Internet providers and seized their equipment, effectively 
cutting  off  thousands of Hong Kong residents from the  Internet  and 
forcing  providers out of business. The providers face fines of up  to 
$HK10,000  and  5 years in jail. So do their users for  not  reporting 
their providers to the authorities.

The  reason  for  this was that the providers did  not  have  a  PNETS 
licence.   (Public  Non-Exclusive  Telecommunications  Licence.)   The 
interesting thing about this licence was that it stems from a 40  year 
old  law,  which  virtually no one saw  applied  to  Internet  service 
providers.  Indeed  after  it was discovered  that  this  licence  was 
required,  OFTA  said  that they would not  take  action  against  any 
provider  that applied for the licence. (The licence costs $HK750  per 
year, about $US100.) Yesterday they went back on their word.

The worst part of this law is that no one knows who this law  actually 
applies  to, and whether it also affects the BBS's in Hong Kong.  This 
is currently being investigated by OFTA.

This  whole  affair makes a mockery of the free enterprise  spirit  of 
Hong Kong. It appears it has the most closed system in the world. From 
what I know, Hong Kong is the only Western country that requires  such 
a  licence. With 1997 approaching, it gives cause to worry  about  the 
future as well.

If you would like to express your disgust at this affair, please  send 
email to disgusted@hkatl.com. The names of some of the providers are:

HKIGS, IOHK, Asia OnLine.


Simon Patkin

Sysop Atlantis BBS (but please don't tell OFTA ;-)


--
Arthur Marsh, telephone +61-8-370-2365, fax +61-8-370-2133, +61-8-223-5082 
              arthur@gateway.dircsa.org.au
.endofsig



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