<h1>More Nation-Level Web Censorship, As Sri Lanka Blocks News Sites It Doesn't Like</h1><h3><a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111108/00122916673/more-nation-level-web-censorship-as-sri-lanka-blocks-news-sites-it-doesnt-like.shtml">http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111108/00122916673/more-nation-level-web-censorship-as-sri-lanka-blocks-news-sites-it-doesnt-like.shtml</a></h3>
<h3>from the <i>is-this-really-the-precedent-the-US-wants-to-set?</i> dept</h3><p>It appears that more and more countries are viewing web censorship as a viable political tool. As the US government considers <a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111026/12130616523/protect-ip-renamed-e-parasites-act-would-create-great-firewall-america.shtml">going down that road</a> by requiring DNS blocking on certain sites over copyright infringement, Sri Lanka has decided to jump into the game as well, <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/sri-lanka-blocks-5-news-websites-over-insults-094158881.html" target="_blank">blocking five news sites</a>
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.</p>