South Australia bans internet anonimity, says it's still "free speech"

Australia, what the fuck is wrong with you lately?

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SOUTH Australia has become one of the few states in the world to censor the internet.

The new law, which came into force on January 6, requires anyone making an online comment about next month's state election to publish their real name and postcode.

The law will affect anyone posting a comment on an election story on The Advertiser's AdelaideNow website, as well as other Australian news sites.

How many things are wrong with this law.

If you said "everything" you are correct.

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It could also apply to election comment made on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Uh. Holy shit. Good luck with that.

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The law, which was pushed through last year as part of a raft of amendments to the Electoral Act and supported by the Liberal Party, also requires media organisations to keep a person's real name and full address on file for six months, and they face fines of $5000 if they do not hand over this information to the Electoral Commissioner.

Attorney-General Michael Atkinson denied that the new law was an attack on free speech.

"The AdelaideNow website is not just a sewer of criminal defamation, it is a sewer of identity theft and fraud," Mr Atkinson said.

"There is no impinging on freedom of speech, people are free to say what they wish as themselves, not as somebody else."

Atkinson wasn't satisfied with only the gaming community of Australia hating him, he needs EVERYONE to despise him. HE FEEDS ON YOUR HATE

This is fucked up, man. We are seeing the turn of something very scary.

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From the AdelaideNow site linked from the news article:

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"There is a really complex way to get around this issue shhhhhh (don't
tell anyone) use someone else's name, use a fake name and a postcode,''
wrote John Smith of John Smith Adelaide.

...Yeah, this is ridiculous. Not to mention the harm that could be done by pinning unpopular views on someone you know and hate.

Sutremaine wrote:

From the AdelaideNow site linked from the news article:

Quote :

"There is a really complex way to get around this issue shhhhhh (don't
tell anyone) use someone else's name, use a fake name and a postcode,''
wrote John Smith of John Smith Adelaide.

...Yeah, this is ridiculous. Not to mention the harm that could be done by pinning unpopular views on someone you know and hate.

I loled. There are already fake name and address generators out there too, so yay.

Mafiosa wrote:

I loled. There are already fake name and address generators out there too, so yay.

Yeah, but are there gonna be bad consequences for plugging fake info into those now-legally required categories? My money would be on "yes" if the government is that determined to get the information in question.

WTF, Australia, WTF. It's like the country got hit by the stupid stick lately.

Isn't Michael Atkinson the pro-censorship nut who wants to ban adult-rated games from Australia basically on the grounds that children exist?

I'm sure it all sounds very well but inevitably if it becomes possible to flat out ban anonymity on COMMENT boards... now if they were voting and so on, maybe, but these are COMMENTS on how much you hate politicians. I hate giving out my details over the internet and I have to give out my e-mail address often enough as it is.

Michael Atkinson, I can only grow to hate you. It's not only your part in the abysmal classification board and the issue of censorship there, but your complete incompetence when it comes to listening to the community. No wonder those gamers set up their own political party when you said "if you don't like it, try running against me".

You know, this completely confirms the whole censorship thing that's happening with the current government. I heard a few months ago they were censoring their own party and anyone else connected to parliament from criticising the government. Pushing this onto the public is nuts though. I feel sorry for South Australia, they seem to be a bit of a guinea pig for government experiments.

Lysander wrote:

Isn't Michael Atkinson the pro-censorship nut who wants to ban adult-rated games from Australia basically on the grounds that children exist?

Yes. He's what Jack Thompson would be if he had any power or weren't a laughingstock.

Are they going to police IRC and other instant messenger clients as well?

Manny wrote:

Are they going to police IRC and other instant messenger clients as well?

So far it's only major news sites for Aussies, but they want to extend it to Facebook and Twitter.

Lysander wrote:

Isn't Michael Atkinson the pro-censorship nut who wants to ban adult-rated games from Australia basically on the grounds that children exist?

He's also the one that pushed through a law that the covers of any R18+ movie (like Mad Max, Three Kings or Fight Club) has to be replaced with a plain paper wrap Link if for sale and hire in South Australia.

Oh, and he's trying to save his job by retreating on the censoring of comments link2, note the

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"I will immediately after the election move to repeal the law retrospectively."

Quote :

Mr Atkinson said the law would not be enforced for comments posted on AdelaideNow during the upcoming election campaign, even though it was technically applicable.

Seriously, our politicians seem to be having repeated and prolonged attackes of stupid regarding the internet recently.

Okay, how do y'all get rid of this guy? When's the soonest you can do it?

Miss Prince wrote:

Okay, how do y'all get rid of this guy? When's the soonest you can do it?

When the people in SA vote in a few months time, assuming that the people in his electorate wake up (he is MP of a "safe" labour party seat in Croyden).

theromangeneral wrote:

Miss Prince wrote:

Okay, how do y'all get rid of this guy? When's the soonest you can do it?

When the people in SA vote in a few months time, assuming that the people in his electorate wake up (he is MP of a "safe" labour party seat in Croyden).

I have been on the internet way too long because I spent half a minute wondering why Something Awful got a say in Australian elections.

Miss Prince wrote:

Okay, how do y'all get rid of this guy? When's the soonest you can do it?

I'm kinda hoping the Sex Party or the Pirate Party gets in power this year. They'd probably think about sorting all this crap out.

Also, Pirate Party is just the coolest name ever.

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Seriously, our politicians seem to be having repeated and prolonged attackes of stupid regarding the internet recently.

So he got trolled and he wants to know who did it.

Why is he so butthurt? Who knew bitches could get so pissy about you drinking their milkshake.

That being said, I think Michael Atkinson is Lolita.

Wow, that's stupid. Not only is it an attempt to be more oppressive, it's damn near impossible to enforce. Way to fail at failing, South Australia politicians.

Is it just me, or does this seem like an open invitation for non-Australians to post anonymously about Australian politics and then go "neener neener...you can't get me!"

Lady Anne wrote:

Is it just me, or does this seem like an open invitation for non-Australians to post anonymously about Australian politics and then go "neener neener...you can't get me!"

This is exactly what I thought.

Blooferlady wrote:

Lady Anne wrote:

Is it just me, or does this seem like an open invitation for non-Australians to post anonymously about Australian politics and then go "neener neener...you can't get me!"

This is exactly what I thought.

On the news websites (when they allow posting about storeis), there are plenty of non-Australians posting calling our pollies idiots.

Raine wrote:

I'm kinda hoping the Sex Party or the Pirate Party gets in power this year. They'd probably think about sorting all this crap out.

Hrmm?

Spoiler:

Atkinson just backpedaled and immediately repealed the law.

A victory for trolls everywhere.

Mafiosa wrote:

Atkinson just backpedaled and immediately repealed the law.

A victory for trolls everywhere.

Well, he's said it pretty much won't be enforced and that he "will immediately after the election move to repeal the law retrospectively".

The irony is, all this internet and free speech shit is the activity of _one guy_. ONE LOUSY FUCKING REP.

Ok, maybe two. *glares at Fielding*

But seriously: if this goes on, I'm moving to South Australia to run against the bastard _myself_.