[FYI: EFA Press Relese on censoring hate speech]

[Rigo Wenning <wenning2@rz.uni-sb.de>]

> 
> Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc.
> 
>                     Media Release                  November 10th 1998
> 
> CENSORING HATE SPEECH ON THE INTERNET IS COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE
> 
> Electronic Frontiers Australia today issued an open letter to the Human
> Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, arguing against the application
> of the Racial Discrimination Act to web sites.  A case involving the
> web site of the Adelaide Institute is currently before HREOC.
> 
> "There are both principled and pragmatic arguments against the application
> of the RDA to web sites", said EFA board member Danny Yee.  "While telling
> race-based jokes in the pub is probably unlawful under the RDA, that is
> hardly something the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission is
> or should be involved in.  But your chances of overhearing racist jokes
> in a pub are vastly greater than your chances of unwittingly stumbling
> over offensive material on the Adelaide Institute's web site.  The RDA
> could severely curtail the freedom of Australian Internet users."
> 
> The EFA letter warns that attempts to censor hate speech on the Internet
> will be counter-productive.
> 
> "Pragmatically, attempts to suppress hate speech online will only result
> in its publication overseas", commented EFA board member Irene Graham.
> "The United States Constitution protects views such as those expressed
> by The Adelaide Institute."
> 
> "Rather than publicising offensive speech by attempting to censor it",
> Ms Graham continued, "the Executive Council of Australian Jewry would
> be better advised to make factual information available on their own
> web site. Around the world, organisations such as The Nizkor Project
> and other members of The Holocaust Ring provide extensive information
> countering the material distributed by The Adelaide Institute and other
> revisionist web sites.  Internet users can make their own decisions about
> the accuracy of the various claims, or ignore the debate entirely."
> 
> The full text of the EFA letter to HREOC is available at:
>         http://www.efa.org.au/Publish/hreoc.html
> 
> ENDS
> 
>       --------------------------------------------------------------
>       Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc  --  http://www.efa.org.au/
>       representing Internet users concerned with on-line freedoms
>       --------------------------------------------------------------
>       Media Contact
> 
>       Kimberley Heitman
>       Phone: 618 9458 2790
>       Email: kheitman@it.com.au
>       --------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> BACKGROUND
> 
> Global Internet Liberty Campaign statement on hate speech
>         http://www.gilc.org/speech/un/gilc-hate-speech.html
> 
> The Racial Discrimination Act, Section 18C
>         http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/rda1975202/s18c.html
> 
> The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
>         http://www.hreoc.gov.au/
> 
> The Adelaide Institute
>         http://www.adam.com.au/fredadin/adins.html
> 
> The Nizkor Project
>         http://www.nizkor.org/
> 
> The Holocaust Ring
>         http://www.netbistro.com/electriczen/holoring.html
> 
> --
> Dr Michael Baker, EFA Founding Board Member, ISOC-AU Founder Member
> PO Box 5, Flaxley, SA 5153, Australia Ph: +61 8 8388 8439
> <mailto:mbaker@pobox.com> <http://pobox.com/~mbaker>
> For more info: <http://www.efa.org.au> <http://www.isoc-au.org.au>

-- 
Rigo Wenning - Wiss. Mit. am Institut für Rechtsinformatik von 
Prof. Dr. Maximilian Herberger - http://www.jura.uni-sb.de/
mailto:wenning2@rz.uni-sb.de - Admin du web juridique de 
Sarrebruck - http://www.jura.uni-sb.de/france/