Mission creep

[unixronin]

Australia censors Danish censorship, and the Wikileaks press release about it:

The first rule of censorship is that you cannot talk about censorship.

In late 2008, Wikileaks released the secret Internet censorship list for Denmark, together with a press release condemning the practice for lack of public or judicial oversight. Here's an extract from the press release:

[...]

Two days ago Wikileaks released the secret Internet censorship list for Thailand.  Of the 1,203 sites censored this year, all have the internally noted reason of "lese majeste" -- criticizing the Royal family.  Like Denmark, the Thai censorship system was originally promoted as a mechanism to prevent the flow of child pornography.

It's always the way.  There's always a good, ethical-sounding reasion why governments "need" any new power.  And then once they have it, they start using it for other things outside its original charter, and which would never have passed public muster — like making sure people don't put their trash cans out too early, for example, or preventing them from seeing any criticism of their government.  Or making sure they don't know what you might be hiding from them.

Comments

[suzilem.livejournal.com]

what's a "fly-tipper" ??? relative of a flasher? ;^)

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Per wordwebonline, "someone who dumps [tips] waste illegally, especially on public land (http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/FLYTIPPER)".

[hrrunka]

There's mission creep in some of the UK's legislative efforts too. Just extend this power a little way, widen that definition just a little bit, and if anyone questions your motives, counter with anti-terrorism and child-protection reasons. Just occasionally some of the creep gets shelved for the moment...

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

"When you ask questions, the terrorists win! It's for the chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiildreeeeeeeen!!! Why do you hate [insert nation here]?"