(07-12-2011 00:55 )eccles Wrote: Thought these might be of interest:
ASSOCIATION FOR TELEVISION ON DEMAND
Minutes 29 September 2010
Item 4 - Minutes of previous meeting:
"“PJ met with Stuart Purvis (Ofcom) regarding the implications of the guidance the CPS had published for prosecutors which suggested that R18 and equivalent material which is accessible to children on line is likely to be considered obscene under the Obscene Publication Act.
PJ had also attended a round table discussion with enforcement agencies, Ministry of Justice, DMCS, and Ofcom on the same issue."
http://www.atvod.co.uk/uploads/files/Boa...290910.pdf
and
Sexually Explicit Material and Video On Demand Services
A Report to DCMS by Ofcom
4 August 2011
According to this surveys in 2009 and 2005 found some acceptance of stronger sexual material, but only with access controls (paras 6.19 to 6.23).
They commissioned Dr Guy Cumberbatch to review existing research in 2010.
It was concluded that while there is no firm evidence that R18 material harms children, it is not possible to perform experiments for ethical reasons, so this cannot be ruled out (para 7.5).
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binarie...al-vod.pdf
Hello all,
I'm a new member with an interest in censorship, here in the British Isles.
The statement above about supposed "ethical" reasons preventing scientific "experiments" (by which I assume they mean standard sociological research - even their terminology is biased) is a fraud.
It amounts to - we have a negative view of porn - therefore we don't want kids seeing porn so we won't allow them to see porn even in a carefully controlled environment especially if the results of this research would undermine our fixed view that porn is bad for children or adults.
Dr. Guy Cumberbatch is a respected social scientist, but as the head of the UK Drugs Advisory Panel found out when he ranked tobacco and alcohol alongside drugs like heroin and cocaine, the authorities only want to hear or see evidence that suits their predetermined policy, in this case, doing their utmost to restrict porn and sexy images (music videos etc) as much as they can.
IMO the only changes in a liberal direction will come from court challenges and not from elected politicians or their employees in the various quangos. The quangos are not independent, if that was the case, Ferman would not have been forced out at the BBFC for passing 'normal' hardcore at R18 as the law permitted.
I haven't signed the Ofcom petition as I am a resident of Southern Ireland and it requires a UK address.
I'm pessimistic about the chances of its success however it is important to stand up for what one believes, for what is right, regardless of whether one is successful or not.