Hong Kong's Net-conduct code, from South China Morning Post

[Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>]

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http://www.scmp.com/news/template/templates.idc?artid=19971028005357046&top=hk&t
emplate=Default.htx&MaxFieldSize=2838

                     [South China Morning Post]


 [Front Page]          Tuesday  October 28  1997
 [Hong Kong]
                Conduct code targets porn on Internet
 [China] [Asia]
 [World]        GREN MANUEL
                A voluntary code to control
 [Business]     publication of obscene and indecent
 [Markets]      material on the Internet was launched
                yesterday, with the threat of a review
 [Features]     after a year if it failed.
 [Sport]
                But the code can only be applied
 [Property]     against material put on to the
 [Technology]   Internet in Hong Kong, with no
                effective sanction against publishers
                in the rest of the world, where the
 [Index]        vast bulk of the material originates.

 [Image]        The code, issued by the Hong Kong
                Internet Service Providers'
                Association, which covers all major
                Internet firms, is supported by the
                Television and Entertainment Licensing
                Authority.

                Both pledged it would not be used for
                political censorship.

                "We do not want to turn into an
                'Internet cop'," said the
                association's chairman, Daniel Ng
                Chi-shing.

                Last year the Government proposed new
                laws to block access to pornographic
                sites worldwide, but the plan was
                scrapped amid criticism it was
                technically unfeasible and could be
                used for political censorship.

                Commissioner for Television and
                Entertainment Licensing Eddy Chan
                Yuk-tak said: "If you strictly control
                the Internet you could stifle the free
                flow of information and inhibit the
                development of this new technology.

                "However, we must protect our young
                persons and children from the effect
                of indecent and obscene materials."

                He said the best strategy was to
                "advise, inform and educate" young
                people but the code was a useful
                supplement, and would be reviewed
                after 12 months.

                In June a senior Correctional Services
                officer was given a suspended sentence
                after posting hard-core child
                pornography on the Internet.

                Ousted Democratic Party legislator and
                Internet pornography campaigner Andrew
                Cheng Kar-foo welcomed the code but
                said it would have little practical
                effect on the material available.

                "The Government should have a clearer
                definition of 'obscenity', otherwise
                it could be abused," he said.

                Despite estimates there were more than
                10,000 Web sites hosted in Hong Kong,
                the Television and Entertainment
                Licensing Authority has received just
                four complaints.

                "There is a problem. But it is
                difficult to tell how serious it is at
                this stage," said Mr Chan.

                THE MAIN POINTS
                * Category III material will not be
                published on the Internet.
                * Category II material must be
                preceded by warning notices similar to
                those on printed material.
                * Users who repeatedly break the above
                rules should be disconnected.
                * Internet firms should promote
                technology that can allow a rating
                classification or the blocking of
                certain sites.
                * The public may make complaints to a
                page's host Internet firm. The firm
                must ''act promptly and
                conscientiously on the complaint''.
                * Unresolved complaints may be
                referred to the TELA.
                * Statistics on complaints will be
                sent to the TELA every month.