Main section
-
Top story
Net censorship finds a new expression
Gary Herman
DATELINE: 27/7/10
A recent item on the NUJ London Freelance branch web site http://www.londonfreelance.org/fl/1007spin.html rehearses the recent history of the Spinprofiles affair (sometimes called 'Spinprofilesgate'), in which a website was rendered inaccessible after an individual complained about it to the registrar for the site's domain name. This represents a potentially worrying new form of censorship.
A threat or perceived threat concerning possible defamation is directed not at the authors or publishers of the offending item (the writer or website itself) and not even at the 'distributors' (the hosting service for the website or the service providers who make it available to the public), but at the organisation which effectively licenses the name of the site. It's as though you could threaten Companies House because a company registered there has offended you.
The story so far may be summed up as follows:
"The Spinwatch inititative, founded by David Miller and colleagues at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, set up a database of spin doctors (and, to use the term some prefer, 'reputation management consultants') at www.spinprofiles.org ...
"The project has been forced to move, in an unusual and worrying fashion. Usually, those who object to what's said about them online issue a legal threat to the 'hosting company' - the outfit that owns the hard drive where the website's information sits, waiting for you to call it up. Distressingly frequently, the hosting company rolls over and deletes the site, rather than enter the ruinous maelstrom which is British libel law.
"A think-tank researcher called Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens issued his threat instead against the 'name registrar' - the outfit that owns the computer that tells your computer where to go on the internet to find the content of the site you want. It rolled over: so though the contents of the site still existed, no-one could get to them."
In fact, Spinwatch retaliated by changing the domain name it was using from www.spinprofiles.org to www.powerbase.info. It kept the site exactly where it was, but simply changed its name.
According to the LFB website:
"Spinwatch is still trying to clarify what Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens is complaining about. In the meantime, the database is available at www.powerbase.info."
When we looked (23 July 2010), both domains (spinprofiles and powerbase) were unavailable. This could be for a number of reasons, but it's entirely possible that the so-called 'sponsoring registrar' - Tucows Inc., in Canada - has blocked both domains.
Whatever the reason, this new form of censorship is worrying.Last modified: Sunday, August 22, 2010
Your comments:
Late news: The Powerbase domain is now active - http://www.powerbase.info. The original Spinprofiles domain - http://www.spinprofiles.org - remains blocked.
Posted by: Gary Herman: 29 Jul, 2010 10:07:20
» Click here to add your comment.
Comments will be subject to approval and should not be defamatory, obscene, racist, in breach of copyright, or contrary to law. The CPBF is not reponsible for any views expressed here.
Previous free speech & censorship stories
Welcome for decision to drop proposed cabinet papers exemption
Stars of UK comedy and science stand up against unfair libel laws
CPBF condemns temporary shutdown for WikiLeaks
Panorama nurse can return to work
Secret filming nurse up for award
Whistleblower Nurse Appeal
Breen judgment a landmark victory for press freedom
An untold story?
Hundreds demonstrate their freedom to photograph
Olympic builders forced to sign gagging orders
Brown backs down in expenses row
Access to MPs' expenses move criticised
Triumph for journalists' rights as Sally Murrer wins her case
No Place for Censorship at Olympics
Journalists facing harassment in China says Greenslade
Chinese Authorities' Broken Promises
AGM condemns threats to Media Lens
CPBF condemns Tesco libel action
Unite demands reinstatement for Pizza man
Response to the Ministry of Justice proposal to extend FoI
Reporters Without Borders launch free expression day
Update on Mordechai Vanunu
'We must be able to show world as it is'
CPBF response to the cartoons
Derek Pasquill
Pasquill Trial collapses
Campaigners welcome FoI climbdown
UPDATE on Vanunu+free speech attacked in USA
Murdoch is "all business" - zero ethics
UPDATE on Vanunu+free speech attacked in USA
-
Notices
Events & Announcements
Fringe meeting at the TUC
DATELINE: 26/8/10Tuesday 14 September 6.00pm – 8.00pm Mayor’s Parlour, Manchester Town Hall, M2 5DB
‘Media for All – the Democratic Challenge’.
An open event hosted by Making Good Society and the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom (CPBF), supported by the Carnegie UK Trust.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download PDFs of Freepress here.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE 09
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Media for All Conference 09
Conference Papers
-
Previous stories
Free Speech & Censorship
Welcome for decision to drop proposed cabinet papers exemption
Stars of UK comedy and science stand up against unfair libel laws
CPBF condemns temporary shutdown for WikiLeaks
Panorama nurse can return to work
Secret filming nurse up for award
Whistleblower Nurse Appeal
Breen judgment a landmark victory for press freedom
An untold story?
Hundreds demonstrate their freedom to photograph
Olympic builders forced to sign gagging orders
Brown backs down in expenses row
Access to MPs' expenses move criticised
Triumph for journalists' rights as Sally Murrer wins her case
No Place for Censorship at Olympics
Journalists facing harassment in China says Greenslade
Chinese Authorities' Broken Promises
AGM condemns threats to Media Lens
CPBF condemns Tesco libel action
Unite demands reinstatement for Pizza man
Response to the Ministry of Justice proposal to extend FoI
Reporters Without Borders launch free expression day
Update on Mordechai Vanunu
'We must be able to show world as it is'
CPBF response to the cartoons
Derek Pasquill
Pasquill Trial collapses
Campaigners welcome FoI climbdown
UPDATE on Vanunu+free speech attacked in USA
Murdoch is "all business" - zero ethics
UPDATE on Vanunu+free speech attacked in USA