The European parliament has voted against blocking access to Web
sites as a way of regulating content on the Internet, instead of
pushing self-regulation and filter and rating systems.
Yesterday's vote - 460 in favour, none against and three
abstentions - adopted a report on the protection of minors and
human dignity that addresses many media, including the Internet.
The parliament's report is not a legislative document, but is in
response to a previous evaluation report by the European
Commission.
Rhe European Internet Services Providers Association (EuroISPA),
which has always been pro self-regulation, applauded the decision.
In a statement yesterday, EuroISPA called blocking a "technically
disastrous solution" that also creates "free speech and democratic
concerns".
"In Germany a regional government is trying to implement
legislation to force Internet service providers (ISPs) to block
access to certain Web sites containing Nazi content," said Joe
McNamee, spokesman for EuroISPA.
"Blocking anything bad is not intrinsically bad, but practically
bad," he added.
Blocking Web sites because of harmful or illegal content, for
example, is a "drastic" measure that does "not solve the problem of
sites outside the European Union, nor that of sites which are legal
for adults, but could be harmful to children or young people," the
parliament said.
Instead of blocking sites, content providers and ISPs should
self-regulate and users should take advantage of filtering
technologies and content rating, the parliament said. It asks that
the European Commission, the EU's executive body, promote creation
of content filtering systems to support parental control.
Additionally, the parliament asked the 15 E.U. member states to set
up hotlines to handle complaints about illegal or harmful Internet
content.
Children's welfare is primarily the responsibility of their legal
guardians, but that does not absolve content providers, ISPs and
legislators of their responsibilities, the parliament said.
EuroISPA is happy with the "clear marker" the parliament has set,
even though it is not European law.
"This statement of principle is very useful. The regional
governments in Germany have got to plough on with the knowledge
that there is strong opposition to this type of approach on a
European level," McNamee said.