According to UK Prime Minister May, the fight against terrorism requires porn censorship on the Internet

Posted on Jun 6, 2017 by Rick Falkvinge

A few people have commented on UK Prime Minister Theresa May jumping on the opportunity to argue for “regulating the Internet” after the most recent terror attacks. Fewer have highlighted just what she demands, and how absolutely ridiculous this is on the surface and on every level of analysis depth: In order to fight terrorism properly, she states, Britain must censor pornography on the Internet.

A lot of people have trashed through the sheer incompetence and audacity of trying to “regulate” the Internet by “eliminating safe spaces”, as PM May advocates. On this blog, Glyn Moody has highlighted how it will destroy the British software industry. Caleb Chen writes about a new government-controlled Internet in the UK.

Perhaps most succinctly and thoroughly, the excellent Cory Doctorow has completely torn apart the nonsense of “regulating the internet” over at Boing Boing; he notes that not only wouldn’t it work, but the cost of trying is prohibitive, essentially requiring sending Britain back to steam power days (for today, the electricity grid too is controlled over the Internet).

But there’s one detail which has escaped most scrutiny, and which really shows how obscenely nonsensical this audacity from the UK Prime Minister is. In pushing her “regulation of the Internet” package, and justifying it with “because terrorism”, it becomes important just to see what’s actually in this “regulation of the internet” package.

The Independent had a short note about it, which is very telling:

"The Conservative manifest pledges regulation of the Internet... making it more difficult to obtain pornography."

Yes, you read that right. Take a moment to read it again. In order to fight terrorism, it must be hard to access pornography.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May is standing straight and pushing a package that introduces censorship of pornography on the Internet, and is justifying it as absolutely necessary to fight terrorism. She is even doing this with a straight face, apparently serious.

Of course, this doesn’t even go into the fact that the last attack didn’t need the Internet in the first place, or indeed even electricity, as observed on Reddit:

The full Conservative manifesto, which May is referring to and where the “regulation of the Internet” part indeed is summarized by the Independent quote above, can be found over at the Spectator (curiously, no search hits show up on the party’s website).

Privacy remains your own responsibility. As does your sanity, when listening to some of the worst and most ignorant offline-born politicians.

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25 Comments


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  1. iPayForSexxx

    Islam is a rape culture so the U.K. PM has a point… It’s fueling motivation for these Terrorists to target women and girls, which is why most of the “refugees” are military aged men invading. Porn Servers are bigger providers in Europe than in the U.S. in the amount of content displayed.. And the Biggest viewers accessing these servers providing porn in Europe are from India Subcontinent and Yup you guessed it…Middle East and Islamic East Africa…

    7 years ago
    1. Ric Euteneuer

      Islam is a “rape culture” based on what? Some pathetic skewed statistics from Sweden?

      7 years ago
    2. Denis Shepetovsky

      When more people in a society watch porn, less people rape. There were several studies on this subject in Canada. So, if you think that Islam is a rape culture (which is not entirely correct, imo), you should campaign for free porn TV channels.

      7 years ago
    3. Eterne

      They do it because the religion says it’s okay, not because they see boobs online.

      7 years ago
  2. Tina Iannone

    Liberals would rather watch their own children beheaded by an Islamist before they’d even consider being called a racist. This is a sickness, a mental disorder, that needs to stop.

    7 years ago
    1. The Light

      Agree, at times I can’t decide whether PC Liberals or Right-wing bigots are more obnoxious/naive.

      7 years ago
    2. Ric Euteneuer

      No, racist morons need to stop

      7 years ago
  3. Tony

    If you censor the internet the terrorist win!

    7 years ago
  4. The Light

    Hey Theresa May, how about just banning ‘the killing of innocent people’???

    7 years ago
    1. Dee Keyes

      Pretty sure last time i check murder was still illegal.

      7 years ago
      1. The Light

        forgot the /s

        7 years ago
        1. Dee Keyes

          Wasn’t being sarcastic, why would i be?

          7 years ago
      2. Bofh

        apparently not when it’s done by having the dwp drive people to suicide or yank their benefits.

        7 years ago
        1. Dee Keyes

          I second this motion.

          7 years ago
      3. Karl Zinom

        not if they are labeled “terrorists” or live in a foreign country which is labeled to support terrorism.

        7 years ago
        1. Dee Keyes

          No it’s still illegal.

          7 years ago
          1. Karl Zinom

            I would lend you a brain, if I had two.

            7 years ago
          2. Dee Keyes

            You’re the idiot who thinks terrorism isn’t illegal.

            7 years ago
          3. Karl Zinom

            ??? You still make no sense. Nobody ever said “terrorism is legal”. You are completely missing the argument: “Killing people labeled as terrorists is legal for governments, even if there is no prove these people are really terrorists.” – With this Government-logic you and me could be the next terrorists, because we are playing battlefield and nobody would care.

            7 years ago
          4. Dee Keyes

            You’re the idiot who started talking about terrorism, the fucktard at the top said “Hey Theresa May, how about just banning ‘the killing of innocent people’???” Like some idiot who doesn’t think killing of innocent people isn’t banned or illegal.

            7 years ago
          5. Karl Zinom

            Please tell me more about how an article that titles “.. the fight against terrorism requires censorship of porn in the internet ..” is not about terrorism or censorship or completely missed politics. You are quite entertaining… Oh, and don’t forget to call me an idiot. That’s quite a basic for an argument.

            7 years ago
        2. Dee Keyes

          I don’t what country you’re from where terrorism isn’t illegal, but in the UK its illegal.

          7 years ago
          1. Karl Zinom

            you make no sense.

            7 years ago
  5. Anime TeeShirts

    Thanks for continuing to point out ridiculousness in our world.

    7 years ago