Easily digestible tech news... http://www.techdirt.com/ en-us http://www.techdirt.com/images/td-88x31.gifhttp://www.techdirt.com/ Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:03:00 PST Mike Masnick http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110221/02285613183/european-commission-chickens-out-allows-hungarian-media-censorship.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110221/02285613183/european-commission-chickens-out-allows-hungarian-media-censorship.shtml concern earlier this year, as Hungary took over the EU Presidency just at the same time it had passed a worrying new internet censorship law that lets the government fine any content provider that it judges to not be sufficiently "balanced." The European Commission apparently had planned to criticize the law... but somehow chickened out at the last minute. Glyn Moody points us to a (slightly confusing) account of what happened, where minutes before a vote was to be taken, some sort of "deal" was struck that appears to let Hungary continue to censor the media. Among the "concessions," it appears that the "balanced" part won't apply to internet-only media, but will still apply to other media. Online publications, though, still have to register with the government, and can face fines or get "dropped" from the register -- barring them from continuing to publish -- if they violate certain rules. As the report notes, this still seems like it goes against the basic concepts of freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

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]]> no-moral-backbone http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20110221/02285613183 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:19:30 PST Mike Masnick http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110112/10363712639/hungarian-media-puts-up-blank-pages-to-protest-censorship-bill.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110112/10363712639/hungarian-media-puts-up-blank-pages-to-protest-censorship-bill.shtml "media blackout" to protest new laws that would greatly increase government control over the media, by forcing the media to reveal sources and threatening fines if the government felt that coverage wasn't "balanced." While we doubted that such a protest would have much of an impact, it does appear that many of the major media properties put up blank pages on their websites to protest the law. And now we'll see whether or not it has any impact at all...

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]]> good-for-them http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20110112/10363712639 Mon, 3 Jan 2011 21:04:00 PST Mike Masnick http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110103/15511912501/civil-liberties-groups-worried-about-hungarian-media-censorship-just-as-hungary-takes-over-eu-presidency.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110103/15511912501/civil-liberties-groups-worried-about-hungarian-media-censorship-just-as-hungary-takes-over-eu-presidency.shtml new media censorship laws seemed particularly draconian -- requiring all reporting to be sufficiently "balanced" or the media may receive a fine and all media must reveal their sources. It appears the new law is getting a lot more attention, as its coincides with Hungary taking over the Presidency of the EU. Civil liberties groups are protesting the new law and calling for a media blackout. I'd be surprised if any such blackout is effective but having more people speak out in general about such laws hopefully will lead the Hungarian government to reconsider its policies.

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]]> timing-is-everything http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20110103/15511912501 Thu, 23 Dec 2010 05:45:00 PST Mike Masnick http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101221/02482212355/hungary-venezuela-each-start-to-regulate-internet-content-to-stop-political-commentary-govt-doesnt-like.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101221/02482212355/hungary-venezuela-each-start-to-regulate-internet-content-to-stop-political-commentary-govt-doesnt-like.shtml mocked a proposed law in Venezuela to regulate internet content, and it appears that law has passed and it's even more ridiculous than originally thought. The part we had found funny would have said that certain "adult" content could only be online at night, as if the internet worked like television. The approved regulations are even more insane. It says that all Internet traffic is supposed to pass through a single, government-controlled access point and forbids any content that disrespects public officials. Uh, yeah, that's called censorship. Amusingly, supporters of the bill, in a true Orwellian manner claim that by sending all internet traffic through a single government controlled access point will "make the internet faster." Um, yeah, that's not how the internet works.

If we jump halfway around the world, to Hungary, it appears the government there is doing something similar. Glyn Moody points us to the news that the Hungarian Parliament has approved a new law regulating all media content -- including online. Apparently, any content judged not to be "politically balanced," will get fined. Of course, it's the ruling party that has their fingers on the scale to determine what is, and what is not, considered "balanced." The law will also require journalists to hand over names of sources. Think of it as the opposite of a shield law for journalists. Anyway, if the Hungarian government believes this post is not politically balanced enough for their censors, well, tough luck.

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]]> yeah,-that'll-work http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20101221/02482212355