Handy cut-out and keep guide to audiovisual self/co-regulation

From the EU27's Contact Committee.

So with no internet, we had no porn, right?

SRoC: Slightly Right of Centre: So with no internet, we had no porn, right? "Child content locks are just one tool - of limited use.  They will prevent most incidental or accidental exposure. They will not prevent a half-determined half-digitally-literate child accessing potentially harmful content. They will not stop your children trading porn in the playground, and a Micro-SD card is far easier to hide than a magazine. With this in mind, we must question how far the state expects service providers to go in the name of child protection.  Blocking only has limited use, and to take blocking to the point that it infringes on other important rights and freedoms in the name of child protection - especially when the protection offered is minimal - is disproportionate. Additionally, prohibition will inevitably lead to the resurgence of the playground black marketeer.  Children are enterprising little buggers who will profit from censorship. "
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Jeremy Hunt visited News Corp in US as Murdochs considered BSkyB bid

Jeremy Hunt visited News Corp in US as Murdochs considered BSkyB bid | Politics | The Guardian: "Jeremy Hunt spent five days in the US, holding meetings with News Corporation when Rupert and James Murdoch were first deciding whether to bid for Sky, official documents reveal. Almost immediately after Hunt's trip, James Murdoch visited David Cameron in London, and privately told him that News Corp had agreed to switch its support to the Tories in the upcoming election. Hunt then became culture secretary in the victorious Tory government." 'via Blog this'

Self-Regulation Done Right : CJR

Self-Regulation Done Right : CJR: "Denmark, Finland, and Sweden all have similar press councils, with a few varying details. For instance, Pressens Opinionsnämnd, the Swedish system, has one ombudsman at its head, and it only deals with the print media, while complaints against broadcast TV or radio news go to a separate state-run commission. But the systems function in otherwise similar ways. Any member of the public may submit a complaint, free of charge; administrative fees are paid annually by the member organizations. The news outlets voluntarily submit themselves to the councils’ judgments because it shows their audience that they are responsible, accountable, and fair. “This is like the… what do you call it in America?” asks Kjell Nyhuus, one of PFU’s secretaries. “The fox that watches the henhouse. But it is a very good fox! A very serious fox.”"
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The night I saw Jeremy Hunt hide behind a tree before dinner with James Murdoch

The night I saw Jeremy Hunt hide behind a tree before dinner with James Murdoch – Telegraph Blogs: "The hiding behind a tree should be seen very much in the context of his subsequent handling of the BSkyB bid. That night at UCL Jeremy Hunt wanted to be close to News International, and to have dinner with James Murdoch, but he didn't want to be seen being close to News International. How apt, when one considers what followed."
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How Vince Cable fended off Murdoch camp's overtures

How Vince Cable fended off Murdoch camp's overtures | Media | The Guardian: "James Murdoch told the Leveson inquiry that he sensed Cable was taking other people's advice. He said it was very frustrating that Cable would not sit down and "let us make our case". Michel tried again to set up a meeting with Wilkes in a phone call on 15 November, asking: "When would be good for you?" Wilkes replied drily: "Let us assume it is when a Google of Vince Cable, News International and Sky does not turn anything up. I am sure we are both interested in staying within the proper bounds of conduct.""
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Jeremy Hunt: BSkyB scandal

Jeremy Hunt: the 'goody two shoes' caught up in BSkyB scandal | Politics | The Guardian: "culture department's civil service specifically instructed Hunt not to meet James Murdoch on 15 November, as the strong legal advice was that "the current process is treated as a judicial one not a policy one, and any meeting could be referred to and jeopardise the whole process". Yet Frédéric Michel, News Corp's director of public affairs, tells James Murdoch: "You could have a chat with him on his mobile which is completely fine and I will liaise with his team privately." On 24 December, when Hunt took formal ministerial responsibility for the bid, Hunt declared he could not hold a meeting with James Murdoch. Yet Michel spoke to "JH" at 5.25pm and reported to Murdoch: "[He] said he was very happy for me to be the point of contact with him/Adam on behalf of James Murdoch going forward. Very important to avoid giving the anti any opportunity to attack the fairness of the process and fine to liaise at that political level.""
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Phone hacking: key claims from 'Dial M for Murdoch'

Phone hacking: key claims from Tom Watson's book | Media | guardian.co.uk: "Watson adds that as a result of the surveillance the committee members whose private lives had been under investigation decided not to summon Rebekah Brooks to give evidence in 2010."
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Is secrecy the new black in IP? | Kluwer Copyright Blog

Is secrecy the new black in IP? | Kluwer Copyright Blog: "rules introduced by the Lisbon Treaty and the rising public awareness of the need for transparency might mean that such fashion will be outdated soon in Europe. In the last couple of years, relevant laws and international agreements in the field of intellectual property have been shrouded in secrecy. A very recent example is the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), dubbed ACTA 2.0."
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Ofcom: press self-(co)regulation could work

Ofcom: press self-regulation could work | Media | guardian.co.uk: ""Properly constituted, effective and independent self-regulation could be the basis of a new model of press regulation," Ofcom added. But the regulator said that in order for self-regulation to work certain elements of the new regime, such as rules governing membership, may need to be recognised by a statute."
Co-regulation. innit?
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Regulatory Policy Committee: publishes its Annual Report 2011 ‘Improving Regulation’.

Regulatory Policy Committee » Blog Archive » Press Release: Regulatory Policy Committee publishes its Annual Report 2011 ‘Improving Regulation’.:

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How seriously does the UK Government take child safety?

How seriously does the UK Government take child safety? | GamesIndustry International: "March 27 was four years since the publication of the Byron Review, which included sweeping recommendations for the overhaul of video game age ratings in Britain; meanwhile April 7th marked two years since the Digital Economy Bill was passed by Parliament, of which the implementation of PEGI as the statutory ratings system was a part. And yet here we are, still waiting for the new system to be adopted. Still using the same dual PEGI/BBFC ratings on game boxes."
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Dutch net neutrality rules seen taking effect in 2013-14

Dutch net neutrality rules seen taking effect in 2013-14 - Telecompaper: "the rules on net neutrality and continuous service are expected to start at a later date, likely 01 Janaury 2013. The net neutrality rules will only apply to contracts agreed after this date, while contracts agreed prior to that date will have until 2014 to implement the changes. During the transition period, telecoms regulator Opta will develop a system for testing and enforcement of the new rules."
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LCJ Judge on the soft law inherent in the Magna Carta as applied

The great triumph of William Marshall: "one of the most striking features of the Charter is that it provides no remedy for any individual affected by breach of any provision. In short, to the extent that it provided any rights at all, the individual whose rights were effected, was not able to do anything about it. If the King failed to comply with the agreement, the rebel barons were dispensed from their obligation of fealty. Yet in some strange way this provided one of its longer term strengths."
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Newspaper Man: Eircom's "3 strikes" scheme is illegal under EU law

Newspaper Man: Eircom's "3 strikes" scheme: "Eircom, through Pat Galvin, its head of public policy, is recorded saying "graduated response", as implemented by Eircom "is expensive and does not provide protection or redress for end-users, as is required by the EU Telecoms package". Quite an admission. Both pages recording this meeting and that admission are on scribd.com
Eircom are worried there is no independent oversight of their 3 strikes system as is required by the EU Telecoms Reform package signed into law in 2009. But why sign up for a scheme in 2010 that was in breach of EU law passed a year earlier? Well the EU law was only transposed into Irish law in July 2011."
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European Cybercrime Centre to be established at Europol

European Cybercrime Centre to be established at Europol | Europol: "The European Cybercrime Centre will provide governments, businesses and citizens throughout the Union with the tools to tackle cybercrime. Building on Europol's proven track record and unique expertise in this area, and with the support of the Member States, other EU bodies, international partners, and the private sector, the European Cybercrime Centre will make the EU smarter, faster and stronger in its fight against cybercrime."

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