Proposals on Internet Censorship
Dear Sir/Madam
I am not sure if this is the direct email address for Mr Ottoway or not: I
wrote a letter to him earlier this year regarding the Government's
proposals to criminalise the possession of "extreme pornography" - a term
which is semantically pretty much null and void, translating in their terms
as "anything we think we might not like".
I understand that there are still rumblings from the Home Office about
trying to push such legislation through, which I find a cause for concern.
Whatever anyone's viewpoint on pornography of any kind (and I do not
presume to know Mr Ottoway's), it is worrying that the Home Office has not
made public the responses to its idiotic, biased and badly-formatted
consultation and seems keen to press ahead with legislation despite the
fact that it would waste a great deal of police time and resources,
criminalise people who have done nothing more - and who have no likelihood
of doing anything more - antisocial than look at pictures, and would usher
in a new era of state-sponsored spying and intrusion on the citizens of
this country. The HO themselves have been forced to admit that there is no
evidence whatsoever that looking at pictures leads ordinary people directly
into the commission of crimes of violence and there are already workable
laws in existence against crimes of violence.
If nothing else, I would like Mr Ottoway to consider whether the present
illiberal and incompetent Government should be allowed to award itself even
more powers to intrude into the private lives of citizens who are doing no
harm to anyone else: given the current track record, even looking at stills
from Carry On Screaming might get your door kicked in, your computer siezed
and your name on the Sex Offenders register.
Regards
Hilary J Kear
8 Siddons Rd
Croydon CR0 4JR
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