Australia Proposes Mandatory Internet Censorship - Now Includes Video Games

[Public'sTwin]

I'm intrigued as to why Australians - who seem, on the whole to be so socially liberal - have elected the Liberal Party to power knowing full well (or perhaps not?) that the Liberal Party consists of such socially conservative ...d-bags?

In a country where near everyone over 18 is required to vote, I would have thought the (comparatively gargantuan to Canada & US) youth component was likely to negate this, especially a party so vocally in favour of internet and videogame censorship.

 

[Jay]

Labour Party is in power at the moment.

 

[Public'sTwin]

Labour Party is in power at the moment.

Could you elaborate?

Recent legislature and proposals would seem to indicate party ideology and history is essentially meaningless.

 

[Casio]

Because if anything happens to anyone from a different culture it's automatically race related.

Their was an Indian guy who was stabbed to death on his way to a late night Hungry Jacks shift in Footscray at the train station. I wouldn't walk through that town at night cause it's full of scum and anyone with half a brain avoids the area. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it's racist.

Another example is an Indian guy I work with got mugged outside my work. But it was 10pm at night and he was going through a dark underpass to get to the tram where people go to shoot heroin (probably), 3 guys came up to him and took his phone and wallet. It wasn't a racist attack, he was just in a vulnerable position. But as soon as people hear of it they scream racist.

Hell, a few months ago I was attacked in the city by a group of 20 Vietnamese people and ended up in Hospital. That's not reported, nor is the hundred of other scuffles that happen every night. But now it's in the media's interest to keep this crap going, growing Indian population in Melbourne who I bet are reading the news articles by the truckload.

Specifically in regards to the missing kid, it's really annoying that the media has to label him a "Indian Boy", despite most likely being a fully Australian Citizen. Just to stir ****. Do we label everyone on news by their background first? Ridiculous.

 

[Casio]

Could you elaborate?

Recent legislature and proposals would seem to indicate party ideology and history is essentially meaningless.

In Australia the Labour Party is Centre-Left, and the Liberal Party is Centre-Right.

It's a similar situation to the last US election it think, the Liberal Party had a long run in Office, and then the Labour Party started to be all cool and turn it into a popularity contest and use things like Facebook and new-age marketing to capture youngsters and voters who don't have a strong political opinion. Remember with mandatory voting, people who don't care at all (Which is not a small minority I believe) can't just not vote, so they usually go with whoever is the trendiest and will give them more money.

Both parties probably have come closer too centre in the last 5 years. With the Liberal Party bringing more socially minded people to lead the opposition. Though a couple of months ago, they changed back to an old-school conservative leader and look to be drifting right again.

 

[Jay]

Whats with that, it was a huge story yesterday on the TV too and it isn't even in our state.

They find a Indian boy dead 11km's from his home with no obvious cause of death and the media is running around to all sorts of Indian groups asking about racism aganst Indians. The boy came from a house of three Indian families and he could have been killed and dumped or found dead and dumped by any of them. Nothing as far as I know points to kidnap and murder by any outsiders (but it is possible), especially being racist motivated yet.

I don't mean to sound cold because it is sad but I don't understand why just because it is a Indian that died it has become nationwide news which even the Prime Minister commented on.

So it turns out I was right and one member of the house hold (of three Indian families) was the cause, NOTHING what so ever to do with racism as the media pushed for.

 

[Keef]

So it turns out I was right and one member of the house hold (of three Indian families) was the cause, NOTHING what so ever to do with racism as the media pushed for.

Ah, so Australian stereotypes are bolstered by your own media. How about that.

 

[mafia_boy]

Not really Keef, because we're aware of what other media is saying about Australia as a racist country. Anything that happens to an Indian person lately in Melbourne is getting headline attention over in India. As our 3rd biggest market is made up of educating international students (a great majority of them coming from India), it's in our best interests both socially and economically to allay their fears that if they come over as students that they won't be subjected to all sorts of violence and prejudice when they do arrive here.

And it's not isolated either with the spotlight being on us from the Indian media, skip back a few months and you guys in the US were ripping us apart left right and center because of the 'Blackface' skit that was on the "Hey Hey It's Saturday" reunion special because of Harry Connick Jr. acting like a full blown skirt, even though it was performed by a bunch of multicultural medical students!!

 

[Thiele]

Ah, so Australian stereotypes are bolstered by your own media. How about that.

Yes, the media does blow the issue out of porportion, if the media didn't carry on, it wouldn't be such a big deal, and to add to that, the more the media carry on about it, the more racism is actually going to happen.

 

[FoolKiller]

Can any Australian members shed light on this story? The Herald Sun story (or stuff referring to it) is all I can find at the moment.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifesty...p-music-from-car/story-e6frfhk6-1225837535956

A TEEN has been arrested for listening to what police deem offensive rap music.

In what could be a legal test case, 19-year-old Nathan Michael Wilkie faces a charge of offensive behaviour after police arrested him when he was listening to music by underground rapper Kid Selzy on his car stereo, the Herald Sun reports.

Mr Wilkie was parked outside a Timboon supermarket, waiting for his mother, when he was arrested.

The Warrnambool Magistrates' Court heard he was listening to lyrics such as "shut your f------ mouth bitch, f------ motherf-----".

The court was told the arresting officers found the music offensive and derogatory to females.

Mr Wilkie allegedly told officers: "You're a joke, go do some real police work."

The teenager is believed to be the first person charged under Australian law with offensive behaviour for listening to music.

Through his lawyer, Amanda Chambers, Mr Wilkie plans to plead not guilty when his case continues on June 11.

Mr Wilkie said he was thankful to have the support of Kid Selzy, who plans to attend in June.

"I am grateful to have Kid Selzy's support as this charge is a reflection on his music, that is not supposed to be offensive in any way," Mr Wilkie wrote.

"As Selzy said, 'I know what I mean and the people who buy it know what I mean, and that's what really matters'.

"He also mentioned 'if you read my lyrics, it's just my opinion'.

"And from what I believe, everyone has the right to their own opinion.

"I have lost two of my best mates in the last couple of years in tragic circumstances and I feel that listening to his music relates to life."

Kid Selzy, who gave his real name only as Jack, said he was astounded at the arrest.

"It's a joke that some kid's been arrested for doing something that's not illegal," he said.

"It's not illegal to have your windows down or to buy a CD. It seems to be a waste of taxpayers' dollars.

"If profanity's not your thing, don't listen."

The rapper said the case first came to his attention when Mr Wilkie's mother, Carolyn Wilkie, posted a message on his MySpace page.

"My son bought your CD ... from JB Hi-Fi and was playing it in his car," the message reads.

"Unfortunately he saw me (his mum) coming out of the local supermarket with shopping bags and left his car running and music playing to help me with my bags and the local cops pulled in.

"They stuck their head in his half-open window and were very offended by the lyrics of your CD.

"The end result is he has been served a summons for offensive behaviour for playing your CD, which they said was too loud and the lyrics offensive, especially to women."

Police are expected to play Kid Selzy's latest album, The Creepshow, at the next hearing.

If I am reading this correctly, this doesn't appear to be a noise complaint issue (they supposedly had to stick their heads in the car to hear the lyrics) and he (a 19-year-old, which I believe is a legal adults) is being charged with listening to music that contains offensive lyrics because they were interpreted by these specific officers be demeaning to women.

I am sure that at some point we have all wished guys with bad taste could be taken off the streets too, but this is bad. If censorship can lead to an adult being arrested for listening to something that someone might find offensive what happens if they say it?

If you import a game that is RC does this mean you can't play it with the shades/blinds/curtains/whatever you use open on your windows?

 

[Keef]

And it's not isolated either with the spotlight being on us from the Indian media, skip back a few months and you guys in the US were ripping us apart left right and center because of the 'Blackface' skit that was on the "Hey Hey It's Saturday" reunion special because of Harry Connick Jr. acting like a full blown skirt, even though it was performed by a bunch of multicultural medical students!!

I remember seeing that. I just watched it again and all I kind of snickered. I'm not one to complain about racism, it's not a big deal to me but I think it's often funny. But I must say, that skit was done with god awful distaste. That's coming from a guy who laughs with black people at black jokes.

FK, I don't think they know what it means. But you're right--it means that if an adult can't listen to his preferred music in his own car then he can't play his favorite video game in his own home. If Australia wins this case then that leaves the door wide open for Australians to get arrested in their own homes for doing anything an outsider might see as offensive. Personally, if somebody walking down the road had the sense to peek through my window at whatever I was doing, I'd have the sense to go "have a word" with him, whether it was a police officer or not.

 

[boiltheocean]

I'm shocked by the story FK posted.

That's just too far.

 

[Casio]

Can any Australian members shed light on this story? The Herald Sun story (or stuff referring to it) is all I can find at the moment.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifesty...p-music-from-car/story-e6frfhk6-1225837535956



If I am reading this correctly, this doesn't appear to be a noise complaint issue (they supposedly had to stick their heads in the car to hear the lyrics) and he (a 19-year-old, which I believe is a legal adults) is being charged with listening to music that contains offensive lyrics because they were interpreted by these specific officers be demeaning to women.

I am sure that at some point we have all wished guys with bad taste could be taken off the streets too, but this is bad. If censorship can lead to an adult being arrested for listening to something that someone might find offensive what happens if they say it?

If you import a game that is RC does this mean you can't play it with the shades/blinds/curtains/whatever you use open on your windows?

From what I recall he was directly out the front of a supermarket with the speakers playing loud, so everyone coming in and out of the store was clearly offended. I think that's fair enough. Imagine a guy in the US parking at the enterance of Wal-Mart playing White Supremest music (I'm sure it exists) so half the store/car park would hear it, I bet a similar situation would go down.

For the record, this is the guy charged...

Playing quietly...don't think so.

 

[Omnis]

Yeah but you don't arrest someone for that. You tell them to pack it up and leave first. These stories really paint Australialand in a bad way.

 

[Keef]

From what I recall he was directly out the front of a supermarket with the speakers playing loud, so everyone coming in and out of the store was clearly offended. I think that's fair enough. Imagine a guy in the US parking at the enterance of Wal-Mart playing White Supremest music (I'm sure it exists) so half the store/car park would hear it, I bet a similar situation would go down.

If it was a problem then a store manager would probably call the police so they didn't get themselves in trouble, and then the police would have a word with the kid and probably give him a noise violation, or some citation related to being a nuisance. If he refused to cooperate and disrespected the cops they would then probably arrest him, but not for the noise itself.

 

[Jay]

I don't believe for a moment he had it low enough so only he could hear it, cops don't go poking in your window listening to your music.

If it was a problem then a store manager would probably call the police so they didn't get themselves in trouble, and then the police would have a word with the kid and probably give him a noise violation, or some citation related to being a nuisance. If he refused to cooperate and disrespected the cops they would then probably arrest him, but not for the noise itself.

He would receive a "excessive noise" fine (I have received two myself, both car related), if you piss off the cops they would usually defect your car but if you still give them trouble they will get you for whatever they can.

 

[Casio]

If he refused to cooperate and disrespected the cops they would then probably arrest him, but not for the noise itself.

Well...

Mr Wilkie allegedly told officers: "You're a joke, go do some real police work."

I wonder if the offensive behavior charge is in regards to his attitude to the Police than just playing loud music, Australian media does like to only show one side of the story and jump to the most news worthy conclusion.

 

[Thiele]

He shouldn't be arrested for offensive music, but maybe excessive noise. I know several mates that have been fined for music that's too loud (and mufflers that are too loud, but that's a different story) One friend of mine was fined ($120 from memory) for 'hoon driving' simply because he was playing music too loud going up and down the street.

 

[Casio]

And so you should be. If you want to play your music so loud that it shatters eardrums then get some earphones and plug them in while driving.

My neighbourhood is pretty quiet and full of old people, but occasionally you get odd idiot who wakes me up with his subwoofer at 5am I can hear banging, through my house, 30m away from the road. If I was running through the street just screaming over a megaphone I'd be arrested for something I'm sure, driving cars are even worse cause it actually reduces your other senses you need to make quick reactions with. I've seen idiots with such loud music they can't even hear the police sirens behind them and just keep driving along cops in tow.

And anyone with a real interest in sound/audio who isn't a retard knows that subwoofers aren't their to blow the metal work off your car and drown out all the other sounds.

 

[Famine]

All other things aside, the article does quite clearly state:

The court was told the arresting officers found the music offensive and derogatory to females ... The teenager is believed to be the first person charged under Australian law with offensive behaviour for listening to music.

So it's not being a noise nuisance, it's not antisocial behaviour and it's not for telling the cops to rack off. It's because "the arresting officers found the music offensive and derogatory to females" - else why is it relevant for the court to be told this?

 

[Keef]

Watch it be the only rap song praising small tits. That'd be a laugh, and an entirely reasonable offense in Australia's eyes.

 

[Famine]

Watch it be the only rap song praising small tits. That'd be a laugh, and an entirely reasonable offense in Australia's eyes.

I... like... A-cups an' I cannot lie.
You other brothers can't deny.
When a girl walks in lookin' like she's just fourteen
An' a chest with a pair of beans

And that's more than enough of that.

 

[tyl0r_r]

It's somewhat scary to think I could be arrested because the officer on duty does not approve of my choice of music.

 

[darkos]

Don't get it. Censorship is good, video games are way too much brutal this times. Nudity, language, and blood. Who need that. I'm sure that not those tough Australians.

 

[Famine]

Censorship is good

Err, no.

Self-censorship is good. Governmental censorship is not.

video games are way too much brutal this times.

Self-censor then - don't buy them. Let other people have the same choice rather than inflicting yours on them.

 

[mafia_boy]

Don't get it. Censorship is good, video games are way too much brutal this times. Nudity, language, and blood. Who need that. I'm sure that not those tough Australians.

If you're so worried about nudity, language and blood, then go back to 1981, there should be a Space Invaders or Donkey Kong that won't have any of those worrying items for you.

Like Famine said, self-censorship is good, but I don't need it dictated to me by some political muppet trying to score brownie points with his particular state's constituents!! Give me my freaking R18+ games NOW, I want to decapitate an alien and slice it in half with my predator weapons!

 

[Northstar]

Don't get it. Censorship is good,

I disagree

video games are way too much brutal this times. Nudity, language, and blood.

I know, especially compared to real life where none of those things happen.

Who need that. I'm sure that not those tough Australians.

What?

 

[Joel]

Don't get it. Censorship is good, video games are way too much brutal this times. Nudity, language, and blood. Who need that. I'm sure that not those tough Australians.

If you don't like the violent video games, don't buy them. I don't want people telling me what i can and can't play. I'm so tired of governments trying to protect me from myself.

 

[Casio]

If you're so worried about nudity, language and blood, then go back to 1981, there should be a Space Invaders or Donkey Kong that won't have any of those worrying items for you.

Donkey Kong didn't wear pants.

 

[DK]

Self-censorship is good. Governmental censorship is not.

Example of self-censorship = using 🤬 in place of a swear word. 👍
Example of governmental censorship = China blocking access to Google. 👎 x 1,000,000
So in other words, self-censorship totally pwns governmental censorship. I'm 15 (16 in 2 months time) and I can tell right from wrong. I'm not stupid, in fact I do higher level in all my school subjects. So if you think I'm stupid, do you know what 3 to the power of 6 is? If you don't you have no right to consider me stupid. Violence, sex and drugs have been around way longer than video games. Sex has been around ever since organisms could no longer reproduce via mitosis. Violence has been around ever since animals required to eat other animals to stay alive. The plants that are used for drugs have been around for millions of years, they just weren't used until a few centuries ago. Don't try to force your views on me, because if you do you're no better than this guy, this guy or this guy.