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Where Are You Publishing?

Posted by timothy on from the from-au-to-zw dept.

AndrewRUK writes "A reporter for The Guardian is being prosecuted in Zimbabwe for a report that appeared on the newspaper's website, the newspaper writes in this report. If the case is successful, it would allow Zimbabwe's courts to apply the country's draconian media laws to any online publisher, putting reporters and editors at risk of arrest if they go to Zimbabwe, or any country with extradition treaties with Zimbabwe. Once again, we see a case which raises the question of which courts have jurisdiction over online publishing. Is a UK newspaper, with webservers in the UK, and a site accessable to anyone on the net, publishing only in the UK, or is it publishing everywhere where there's net access?" An issue that just doesn't seem to go away ...

5 of 266 comments (clear)

  1. Imported Bits by istartedi · · Score: 4, Funny

    From now on, perhaps I should put a disclaimer on all my stuff that says:

    The following article contains U.S. bits. Be sure to check with your local government(s) before importing the remaining bits. By agreeing to do this, you are assuming liability for compliance with local laws. This agreement also applies to the bits in this agreement, so if you already read the agreement and it is not in compliance with local law, you are SOL not me.

    In all seriousness, this could work because the Zimbabwe ISPs would have to check to make sure that the bits were legal for import before importing them, since I can always disclaim that the bits are not intended for export. Faced with such a daunting task, their ISPs would soon shut down.

    This seems only fair, since nobody forced them to start an ISP in Zimbabwe anyway.

    --
    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  2. Re:Okay, then by Servo5678 · · Score: 5, Funny
    Dear TrumpetPower!,

    You are cordially invited to visit the nation of Zimbabwe on behalf of our glorious government for an all expenses paid vacation. Please contact us immediately to arrange your travel (Oh, and come alone. It's less complicated that way).

    Sincerely,
    Zimbabwe Secret Police

  3. Re:Okay, then by Prof.+Pi · · Score: 2, Funny
    His male member is dwarfed in comparison to his cockroach-sized brain. The stench of his breath makes granite crumble. His moral integrity is challenged only by that of a Microsoft lawyer. He rapes newborns with curling irons.


    That is simply uncalled for!


    I mean really. A Microsoft lawyer???

  4. Re:In the real world ... by Aceticon · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, but if the guy on the other side of the border shoots you in the head with an AK-47, what're you gonna do about it?

    Well, it depends - unless one has a very thick skull or the other guy has a really bad aim i suspect the what one does in such a situation is die.

    Then again IANAPTGSITHWAAK47 ( I Am Not A Person That Got Shot In The Head With An AK-47 )

  5. Re:what a healthy comentary! by ColaMan · · Score: 3, Funny

    What with slashdot spelling and all, maybe they were aiming for inciteful.

    --

    You are in a twisty maze of processor lines, all alike.
    There is a lot of hype here.