Extreme pornography law: they tried to sound sane but the law is mad

[ciphergoth]

emarkienna has published an analysis of the new extreme pornography law. They tried to sound sane and reasonable during the consultation process, but the law they've come up with is censorious madness. You can explicitly get three years inside for copying a segment from a legally-bought Hollywood movie into your porn folder.

Backlash are campaigning against the new law.

Aaaarghg.

Comments

[boxcat.livejournal.com]

It's being pushed through as part of a Law and Order Bill, so will undoubtedly go through.

There are a few Tories trying to make a stand based on civil liberties grounds, despite the traditional opposition of the Tory Party to voting against Law and Order Bills. You met one of the people involved in this effort recently.

[waywardgirls.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that there often seems to be a conflict between law and order and civil liberties. Saying you believe in tough law and order often implies that you believe in cutting down on civil liberties - I don't believe this has to be the case.

Personally, I believe in maximum freedom. I have faith in the individual, and I believe that the individual is the best judge of what is best for them. I follow the philosophy of... if it hurts none, then do what thou will. It's a very simple concept. If you hurt other people with your actions, then you should face the consequences. But I don't necessarily have the hard-line law and order view that many Tories have.

I think it's important to remember that you can't please all of the people all of the time... no party will fully reflect the views of any one of its members. Parties are a vehicle for moving towards a compromise. And I do believe that the best way to change the system is to work with it, within it and thus have an influence over it.

I also think it's important to remember that this Bill will be passed, and the clause will be passed almost exclusively because it is tacked onto the end of the Criminal Justice Bill. Which will be passed by a Labour majority - not a Conservative minority.