Despite the US’s abandonment of the Communications Decency Act (CDA) because it violated free speech and the first amendment of the American constitution, Australia appears to be pressing ahead with something similar. The government already has legislation in place to regulate content over the internet, but it said this week it’s going to change it to impose fines on those distributing offensive or pornographic material. Australia’s communications minister Richard Alston has gone on a three-week trip to Japan, t he US, UK, Malaysia and Singapore to talk to officials there about international cooperation on internet regulation, and no doubt a spot of sightseeing.
