Adelaide Advertiser claims victory over repeal of online comment censorship
The Adelaide Advertiser has claimed victory against the SA government after Attorney-General Michael Atkinson was forced to repeal a law that prevents the posting of anonymous online comments about the state election.
Atkinson said he made the decision last night after the paper’s website Adelaide Now published a scathing editorial attacking the law as an infringement of freedom of speech. The resulting backlash against the government saw the site attract over 1,000 posts from people opposing the law.
Atkinson told The Advertiser: “It was my idea. It’s turned out to be a lousy idea. And now I’m fixing it up.
“I made the wrong decision on this provision in the law. I did not take sufficient account of the internet generation, the blogging generation.”
He added that while the law could not be repealed until after this year’s state election, the government would not take any action against anonymous online posters.
Linkedin
michael atkinson: as we like to say on the internet, epic FAIL
User ID not verified.
While I think it’s utterly fantastic that this law got kicked to the curb, can we take a second to acknowledge the humility with which Atkinson repealed it. It’s pretty rare to have a politician [especially in Australia] to so honestly and regardless of pride, admit to a mistake and correct it.
I think we need a few more people in the government who are willing to do the same [internet filter anyone?]
User ID not verified.
Atkinson’s the one who’s blocking a sane classifications system for video games, so he has plenty of humility to spare!
User ID not verified.