[AfrICANN-discuss] More Nation-Level Web Censorship, As Sri Lanka Blocks News Sites It Doesn't Like

[Anne-Rachel Inné]

More Nation-Level Web Censorship, As Sri Lanka Blocks News Sites It Doesn't
Like
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111108/00122916673/more-nation-level-web-censorship-as-sri-lanka-blocks-news-sites-it-doesnt-like.shtml
from
the *is-this-really-the-precedent-the-US-wants-to-set?* dept

It appears that more and more countries are viewing web censorship as a
viable political tool. As the US government considers going down that
road<http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111026/12130616523/protect-ip-renamed-e-parasites-act-would-create-great-firewall-america.shtml>by
requiring DNS blocking on certain sites over copyright infringement,
Sri
Lanka has decided to jump into the game as well, blocking five news
sites<http://news.yahoo.com/sri-lanka-blocks-5-news-websites-over-insults-094158881.html>that
officials found insulting. Even though the law doesn't appear to allow
such blocking, the government has declared that these sites committed
"character assassination," and that makes such censorship okay. Amusingly,
among the countries protesting this action is the US, who has said it's
concerned about press freedom in Sri Lanka. I'm sure the Sri Lankan
diplomats, in turn, will simply point to PROTECT IP/SOPA and say "um,
guys... you're trying to do the same thing..." Once again, the US obsession
over copyright is undermining State Department's efforts on internet
freedom.
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