Tudamorf
03-08-2007, 03:26 PM
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/03/07/international/i135508S26.DTL<b>'Happy Slapping' Outlawed in France</b>
(03-07) 16:31 PST PARIS, France (AP) -- A new law in France makes it a crime for anyone who is not a professional journalist to film real-world violence and distribute the images on the Internet. Critics call it a clumsy effort by authorities to battle "happy slapping," the youth fad of filming violent acts — which most often they have provoked — and spreading the images on the Web or between mobile phones.
The measure, tucked deep into a vast anti-crime law that took effect Wednesday, has alarmed media advocates who say it tramples on freedom of expression.
Ligue Odebi, an association that seeks to protect freedom of expression on the Internet, said the measure will also hinder citizens' abilities to expose police brutality.
"This makes France the Western country that most infringes on freedom of expression and information — particularly on the Internet," the group said in a statement on its Web site.
The new provision targets "happy slapping," a phenomenon that began in Britain and whose name belies the gravity of the attacks. Violators will be subject to up to five years in prison and nearly $100,000 in fines.
Media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders said it understood the government's need to crack down on "happy slapping," but feared the law draws a "dangerous" distinction that would punish "regular citizens" for doing what journalists are allowed to do.
"The sections of this law supposedly dealing with 'happy slapping' in fact have a much broader scope," Reporters Without Borders said in a statement. "Posting videos online showing violence against people could now be banned, even if it were the police carrying out the violence."
Ligue Odebi noted that the approval of the law by France's Constitutional Council on Saturday fell on the 16th anniversary of the March 3, 1991, beating of motorist Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers in a scene captured on amateur video — a case that sparked a national outcry in the United States.(Once again) I'm thankful I don't live in France.
Or in Turkey:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/03/07/financial/f151054S14.DTL<b>Turkish court orders access to YouTube blocked</b>
(03-08) 10:21 PST ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) -- Four college students asked a court Thursday to revoke the ban it imposed on YouTube for running videos that prosecutors said insulted the founder of modern Turkey.
The group condemned the videos in question but said blocking access to the Web site violated their rights to free speech, the private Turkish news agency Dogan reported.
"Banning access to the Web site does not punish those who did that (posted the videos) but the citizens of the Turkish republic," said student Kursat Cetinkoz, reading from a petition the group submitted to the court in Istanbul.
Insulting the country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, is a crime in Turkey punishable by prison.
The press freedom watchdog group Reporters Without Borders also condemned the ban, saying it was a disproportionate response. "Blocking all access to a video-sharing site because of a few videos that are considered offensive is a radical and inappropriate measure," the group said. "We hope the Turkish courts will behave with moderation, especially as regards presumed attacks on Turkish identity."
In recent days, Turkish media publicized what some called a "virtual war" between Greeks and Turks on YouTube, with both sides posting videos to belittle and berate the other.
The video prompting the ban allegedly said Ataturk and the Turkish people were homosexuals, news reports said. The CNN-Turk Web site featured a link allowing Turks to complain directly to YouTube about the "insult."
On its front page on Wednesday, the newspaper Hurriyet said thousands of people had e-mailed YouTube and that the Ataturk videos had been removed from the site. "YouTube got the message," the headline said.
Turkey, which hopes to join the European Union, has been roundly condemned for not doing enough to curb extreme nationalist sentiments and to protect freedom of expression.Boo to YouTube for quashing freedom of expression to placate a foreign government. But I suppose that's not surprising, given that Google now owns it.
(03-07) 16:31 PST PARIS, France (AP) -- A new law in France makes it a crime for anyone who is not a professional journalist to film real-world violence and distribute the images on the Internet. Critics call it a clumsy effort by authorities to battle "happy slapping," the youth fad of filming violent acts — which most often they have provoked — and spreading the images on the Web or between mobile phones.
The measure, tucked deep into a vast anti-crime law that took effect Wednesday, has alarmed media advocates who say it tramples on freedom of expression.
Ligue Odebi, an association that seeks to protect freedom of expression on the Internet, said the measure will also hinder citizens' abilities to expose police brutality.
"This makes France the Western country that most infringes on freedom of expression and information — particularly on the Internet," the group said in a statement on its Web site.
The new provision targets "happy slapping," a phenomenon that began in Britain and whose name belies the gravity of the attacks. Violators will be subject to up to five years in prison and nearly $100,000 in fines.
Media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders said it understood the government's need to crack down on "happy slapping," but feared the law draws a "dangerous" distinction that would punish "regular citizens" for doing what journalists are allowed to do.
"The sections of this law supposedly dealing with 'happy slapping' in fact have a much broader scope," Reporters Without Borders said in a statement. "Posting videos online showing violence against people could now be banned, even if it were the police carrying out the violence."
Ligue Odebi noted that the approval of the law by France's Constitutional Council on Saturday fell on the 16th anniversary of the March 3, 1991, beating of motorist Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers in a scene captured on amateur video — a case that sparked a national outcry in the United States.(Once again) I'm thankful I don't live in France.
Or in Turkey:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/03/07/financial/f151054S14.DTL<b>Turkish court orders access to YouTube blocked</b>
(03-08) 10:21 PST ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) -- Four college students asked a court Thursday to revoke the ban it imposed on YouTube for running videos that prosecutors said insulted the founder of modern Turkey.
The group condemned the videos in question but said blocking access to the Web site violated their rights to free speech, the private Turkish news agency Dogan reported.
"Banning access to the Web site does not punish those who did that (posted the videos) but the citizens of the Turkish republic," said student Kursat Cetinkoz, reading from a petition the group submitted to the court in Istanbul.
Insulting the country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, is a crime in Turkey punishable by prison.
The press freedom watchdog group Reporters Without Borders also condemned the ban, saying it was a disproportionate response. "Blocking all access to a video-sharing site because of a few videos that are considered offensive is a radical and inappropriate measure," the group said. "We hope the Turkish courts will behave with moderation, especially as regards presumed attacks on Turkish identity."
In recent days, Turkish media publicized what some called a "virtual war" between Greeks and Turks on YouTube, with both sides posting videos to belittle and berate the other.
The video prompting the ban allegedly said Ataturk and the Turkish people were homosexuals, news reports said. The CNN-Turk Web site featured a link allowing Turks to complain directly to YouTube about the "insult."
On its front page on Wednesday, the newspaper Hurriyet said thousands of people had e-mailed YouTube and that the Ataturk videos had been removed from the site. "YouTube got the message," the headline said.
Turkey, which hopes to join the European Union, has been roundly condemned for not doing enough to curb extreme nationalist sentiments and to protect freedom of expression.Boo to YouTube for quashing freedom of expression to placate a foreign government. But I suppose that's not surprising, given that Google now owns it.