Comments on: Slouching Towards The Nanny-State

By: ?????

????? — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:17:50 +0000

i think its not a good step.I am shocked it’s Australia. Its little scary i think its going to almost 70% games block.. .

By: Stropp

Stropp — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:19:25 +0000

@JohnC – that’s the thing isn’t it? If they implement this legislation they’ll need to be consistent which means that the government will need to start blocking content that hasn’t crossed their wildest dreams. If My Little Pony was unrated in Oz, the govt would have no choice (according to the law) except to blog that too.

@Thallian – you’re right, it would be easier (but no less immoral) if access to the internet was age verifable. But still, it’s not the governments right or responsibility to be the moral or thought police of its citizenry. Children should be looked after by their parents, not the government except in extreme cases of parental neglect or absence.

By: johnC

johnC — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:03:44 +0000

So if they block it all, then they are going to block youtube.com because that has swearing and is unrated. THey would have to block about 80% of the games, you can play My little pony online woot. Stupid.

By: Dragonchasers » Blog Archive » Australian internet filter could block gaming

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:34:28 +0000

[...] you’re a gamer, or just an opponent of censorship, you should go read Stropp’s post on an alarming issue being considered by the Australian [...]

By: Thallian

Thallian — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:58:13 +0000

If there were some legit way to identify who is young and who is old, like a driver’s license, but for online people (Online surfing license, anyone?) Then I might be in favor of blocking content for those under 18 and yadda yadda but now you’re throwing the baby out with the bathwater by blocking anything a certain body of individuals deems “unworthy”. Its not a far stretch more to just have the government control everything you see and hear.

By: West Karana » Daily Blogroll 6/26 — Space Michael edition

West Karana » Daily Blogroll 6/26 — Space Michael edition — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:01:08 +0000

[...] between the ages of 15 and 18 cannot be imported or played over the Internet. Oz gamer Stropp doesn’t want to live in a “Nanny State” where the government imposes complete censorship in the guise of “protecting the [...]

By: Cense and Censorbility « Into the unknown with gun and camera

Cense and Censorbility « Into the unknown with gun and camera — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:36:02 +0000

[...] of Stropp’s World has posted an article about the recent plans from the australian government, that could effectively end the ability of Australian consumers to play MMOs. Whilst I suspect [...]

By: The Big Ozbowski « Stylish Corpse

The Big Ozbowski « Stylish Corpse — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:43:07 +0000

[...] gaming most of us reading these blogs do (no, I don’t mean online poker, I mean MMOs), read Stropp’s passionate post. Also read Scott Jennings’ as usual extremely smart and cogent post on same. Here’s a [...]

By: Ysharros

Ysharros — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:23:53 +0000

Yeah, saw this earlier — it’s pretty scary. Underneath everything else I’m a generally pretty optimistic person, but this only thickens the layer of pessimistic cynicism plastered protectively over the top. In many ways, I’m surprised it took this long for some country to try this, and I’ll admit I’m a little shocked it’s Australia. Before, you know, places like Burma or Saudi Arabia.

Censorship & Big Brother ftw.