The government has demonstrated, once again, his desire to control access to information by its citizens. I intend to do with a law requiring anyone who owns a blog to register with a government organization created ad hoc
, pay a registration fee and form part of any publisher, either by contract or as one (with costs that this entails). In turn, bloggers will have to control the content of their posts, not only in content but also by feedback because they could be subject to libel and slander, even content that is not their responsibility. This attempt to censor the information circulating on the Internet, in particular those produced and / or distributed via blogs is not done by governments formally dictatorships such as Burma, which cut all the lines outside during the demonstrations recently, China, where bloggers are forced to give his name to the government, and where the repression exercised against them, or Saudi Arabia, where the government has created a directory for all those required to blog from inside the kingdom. No, this is not Putin's Russia or Castro's Cuba, but in a supposedly democratic country, where there is rule of law, separation of powers and respect the laws. A member country of the European Union and is among the eight most industrialized countries. I'm talking about the country from where I write these lines: Italy.
On 12 October, the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi has proposed a law to regulate the book trade, which was made with the aim of promoting "pluralism ,..., understood as the freedom of information and the right to be informed ", and" enhance the production and circulation of publications [1
] as its first article reads. The reality is that this law has resulted in the restriction of free movement of ideas rather than promotion. How does it? Thus defining an extremely vague and broad as it is an editorial product, including products recordings, audiovisual and, of course, blogs, and simultaneously putting the same level publishing companies and ordinary citizens, ie, bloggers.
first thing they do in Article 2, paragraph 1 of this law (my translation) [1
]:
"For editorial product means any product made with the purpose to inform, educate, disseminate and or entertainment which is intended to be published, regardless of how it is done and the means by which it is disseminated. "
Ergo, almost anything except "those editorial products for the character information business, whether for internal or public use, and record and audiovisual products are not handled by this law (Articolo 2, paragraph 2). With such a broad definition anything that is posted on the Internet in Italy is considered a product publisher, and subject to the jurisdiction of this law. In other words, the rest of the articles should only ensure that the State control over the content publishing, both online and through other means.
To control which is published , the creators of the law defines who is an editorial activity as broadly as possible, of course:
"By publishing activity is any activity led to the creation and distribution of publications, like everything related to advertising it contains. "(Article 5)
In short, when you publish this post, I'll be running a publishing business, and any advertising that My blog may contain interest falls within the law. As noted, the air is scented thinning taxes.
To complete the circle, Article 6, paragraph 1 establishes a "Registry Operator Communications "(ROC), which are obliged to register" all subjects who exercise editorial activity "that is me. But do not fear, for this article was designed to ensure "transparency, competition and pluralism." The State always has guaranteed freedom of thought, is not it, more when in the hands of people with socialist orientation, right?. Because despite the inscription on the ROC is not seen as a major stumbling block is the problem of having to name, losing the illusion of anonymity, in addition to the above payments that will result entry, which should not be so only revenue stamps and stuff. Aaah! but is that it does not stop there, because it is not so obvious are the consequences that brings the above record: as I do an editorial product (write and publish a post) I am considered a publisher, and as such I register, get my VAT number and all that, I want to be independent, not an employee. And if I am an editorial, the law requires me to hire a journalist and director of this college to be responsible for what is written here. In other words, my little blog is closed for lack of funds because I can not comply with the law. But that's not all, as I can be considered editor myself, my blog must comply with regulations which relate to defamation and slander of the Italian Penal Code, Articles 57 and 57 bis:
Article 57: Crimes committed by of printed periodicals. Salva
responsibility of the author of the publication and except in the cases of bankruptcy, the principal or vice principal in charge, which does not exercise on the content of the form directed by him the control necessary to prevent publication by the crime committed is punished, as a fault if a crime is committed with the penalty for that crime, reduced proportionately no more than a third.
Article 57 bis: Crimes committed by non-periodical printed
If non-periodical publications, the provisions in the preceding article shall apply to the editor, if the author of the publication is unknown or not due, will be applied to the printer If the publisher is not indicated or is not attributable [ 2 ].
In other words, the owner of a blog is responsible for comments posted on it. Touché
freedom of expression.
The application of this law, as the comedian, political activist and blogger Beppe Grillo [
3 ], lead to the closure of most of the posts published in Italy, including this server. This bill has raised a cloud of dust in the Italian blogosphere, not only as a project that curtails freedom of expression rather than strengthen, but also shows the ignorance of
caste bureaucrats who runs this country than that is the modern world [
4 ]: "[Italy] is a nation of politicians elected by retired octogenarians 70. Everyone else is irrelevant." Worse
is wanting docking protect our rights, but when they try to pull the legs of clay, make things worse, as did the author of this bill, Ricardo Franco Levi, who when asked about the problems it presents bloggers said [
3 ]
government is not for the set. It will be the Communications Authority to indicate with its rules, which subjects and which companies will have to register. And the regulation will only when the law is discussed and approved by the Houses [of Parliament] "
Of course, Mr. Levi uses" Pilate, the hand soap! ". The saddest thing is that this law was made between cocks and midnight, behind the Italians. Thinking about certain bloggers uncomfortable silence, as the aforementioned Grillo (who speak in another post), and certain demonstrations against the caste that rules this country, born on the network.
sad thing is that when these people (I mean Mr Levi) are caught red-handed, not only evasive but offering new things that seek to remedy their mistakes, but make even put their foot more deeply, as is the reform of Article 7 of the Act, as amended version reads:
"Excluded from the obligation to register the ROC individuals accessing the Internet or operate on the Internet in the form or products such as personal sites or collective use do not constitute a business organization working (emphasis mine) "
The big question is" what is meant by business organization work? "[5
]. Explain a little question: the original sentence is
"imprenditoriale organizzazione del lavoro" . The word "imprenditoriale" in Italian means both being an entrepreneur as an entrepreneur, ie, there is no distinction to be in English. That's where the detail, because within this organization may include advertising and selling products on-line
, forums, blogs group and to the same Wikipedia! [6
]
All this obsession with control is a sign of one thing: the breed is realizing that the public access to information makes them more free. The change (to use an expression of Karet
) to infociudadanos has made politicians realize they can not handle the masses at will. The control exercised in the past is declining, and are afraid for not be able to adapt to changing times. The sample of this was the V-day (which I'll talk when you talk about Grillo).
