Irish Domain Registry Banning Adult Domains

Karate Sid writes "An Irish adult website has blogged about the Irish domain registry banning adult domain names, including porn.ie and pornography.ie. The IEDR's reasoning is that the words 'porn' and 'pornography' are offensive and immoral. Of interest is how Sex.ie took legal action against the IEDR — and proved that neither word is offensive — yet still lost the case, as the IEDR are the highest authority in Ireland when it comes to deciding what is and isn't an offensive domain."

Comments

Not so big an issue

[EdIII]

Really. Who gives a shit? Nobody should.

This is just a TLD, which is obviously run by some governing body in Ireland. They get to choose what they want on the TLD, and I assume at some level it is supported by the politicians.

Now, if there are people that feel oppressed in Ireland, they can simply get a domain at a different TLD. They could also just move out of Ireland. That's a choice too.

The real problem is when Irish ISPs start blocking other TLDs and controlling what domains people can resolve on their networks. Then of course come all the blogs and posts about proxies/TOR/Freenet/OpenDNS.

Maybe I am triviliazing the issue, but being restricted on possible domains on a TLD that only applies to a single country does not seem as big of an issue as actually interferring with what traffic can reach a country. It's large scale censorship such as the Great Firewall in China that should be more concerning than this.

If the Irish people feel that they are being oppressed and it is a free speech issue, then they need to address that with their politicians. It's still largely ineffective.

Re:Not so big an issue

[Facegarden]

Really. Who gives a shit? Nobody should.

This is just a TLD, which is obviously run by some governing body in Ireland. They get to choose what they want on the TLD, and I assume at some level it is supported by the politicians.

Now, if there are people that feel oppressed in Ireland, they can simply get a domain at a different TLD. They could also just move out of Ireland. That's a choice too.

The real problem is when Irish ISPs start blocking other TLDs and controlling what domains people can resolve on their networks. Then of course come all the blogs and posts about proxies/TOR/Freenet/OpenDNS.

Maybe I am triviliazing the issue, but being restricted on possible domains on a TLD that only applies to a single country does not seem as big of an issue as actually interferring with what traffic can reach a country. It's large scale censorship such as the Great Firewall in China that should be more concerning than this.

If the Irish people feel that they are being oppressed and it is a free speech issue, then they need to address that with their politicians. It's still largely ineffective.

It's still a government trying to tell its people what words they should and should not see, which is censorship and something to notice and oppose.
-Taylor

Re:Not so big an issue

[Anachragnome]

While I can agree with you on some points, this is still a "foot in the door", so to speak, for censoring, a foot in MY door, regardless of where I live.

What is next? Government editing of dictionary entries? Wikipedia? Banning the word "pornography" from all search entries? Will I still be able to park my soapbox on the corner and mutter the word "pornography" over and over without fear of arrest?

It's the same foot in the door(censorship), just with a different shine on it...slam the door on it before it gets in.

Is the obvious(everyone starts using a different word! Gasp!) that far from their mental grasp? Or is there ulterior motive here? Hrmm?

Re:Not so big an issue

[Chyeld]

When I start seeing porn sites on .us, .gov, or .edu domains, then you have a point. Till then, this is a non-story. There are TDL's out there that are open to everyone. The nationally owned ones are solely responsible to that nation's government.

Re:Not so big an issue

[Chyeld]

Slippery Slope arguements are fallacy's. There is no proof that one step forward equates the same thing as ensuring that someone is going to go the full nine yards, or even that if they were, they'd end up where you want to paint them as going.

There is a middle ground here, there are plenty of TLD's out there that you can register with that are open to all comers. Government TLD's, despite the recent trend towards poorer countries whoring them out, are meant for that nation's government's use. If the government of Ireland wants to nix porn on the government owned TLD, that's entirely their perogative (till they are no longer the government of Ireland).

Re:Not so big an issue

[Anachragnome]

"Slippery Slope arguements are fallacy's. There is no proof that one step forward equates the same thing as ensuring that someone is going to go the full nine yards, or even that if they were, they'd end up where you want to paint them as going."

I've heard THAT bullshit before, and I'll respond the exact same way I do every time I hear it used.

While it may be true that a certain step, in a certain direction, MAY not end up with bad results, if it DOES, you then have to go back two steps, instead of one, to fix that which is broken.

That is PRECISELY the thought process these people are using to THEIR advantage. Take a little at a time, under the radar, infuse yourself into the "system", to the point it is too hard to undo the damage once everyone gets wise to the effects.

The A.I.G. mess is similar. Too big to fail? Not at all. Simply to big to LET fail...as was their intended goal all along.

Re:Not so big an issue

[rts008]

Hear! Hear!

It's like a game of red light/green light, and the citizens are 'it', and blindfolded. By the time you hear gov't.'s footsteps running up on you...it's too late.

Those that ignore/don't learn history, are doomed to repeating it.

Slippery Slope arguements are fallacy's. There is no proof that one step forward equates the same thing as ensuring that someone is going to go the full nine yards, or even that if they were, they'd end up where you want to paint them as going.

He will wake up one day, wondering WTF??!!?...Then try to blame his lack of attention on everyone else.
Unfortunately, most people are wearing blinders, and only pay attention to what is right in front of them; failing to notice that slippery slope just past their focal point.

Liberty, freedom, and justice all require constant vigilance. Always...Not only when affected, but always.

Keep up the good fight, sir! I'll be there beside you.(metaphorically, as I have no clue where you are at-no matter though...rts008 has your back and flanks in this fight:-)

Re:Not so big an issue

[Basehart]

First they ban porno.com - next they'll be burning women at the stake because someone called them a witch.

Re:Not so big an issue

[XnavxeMiyyep]

Who cares? Just because it hurts your feelings doesn't mean the government needs to do something about it.

Re:Not so big an issue

[ScrewMaster]

I get worried whenever an autonomous body takes it on itself to be an arbiter of public morals, and even the courts refuse to step into the fray.

Well, sure ... that always happens when the government happens to agree with what that autonomous body is doing, and is perfectly happy to let said body take the heat.

Re:Not so big an issue

[teh kurisu]

The government is democratically accountable, the IEDR is not.

Re:Not so big an issue

[h4rm0ny]

"Slippery Slope arguements are fallacy's. There is no proof that one step forward equates the same thing as ensuring that someone is going to go the full nine yards, or even that if they were, they'd end up where you want to paint them as going."

Oh not this crap again. If I see some people take a few steps toward a cliff, I say "hey - that's dangerous where you're heading." I don't expect someone to leap out and try to stop me speaking shouting 'just because they've walked some way in a bad direction doesn't mean they'll keep on walking that way.' Well no, it's not conclusive proof, but when you have definite forces pushing for something and you see concessions starting to be made, then it's legitimate to speak out against them. And what makes the difference between whether those people walk off the cliff or not might just be those people warning at the start that they are starting to take steps in a dangerous direction.

Pointing out that we're on a slippery slope is a warning, not normally a prophecy. It says continue in this direction and it's going to come to a bad end. And the second point about the slope is that it's slippery. Once steps are taken, it can be hard to take them back - for example making an organisation un-ban words again.

Re:Not so big an issue

[indifferent children]

Can I sponsor a visa for you to come to the USA? You would be a good influence on many of our 'Christians'.

Re:Not so big an issue

[JWSmythe]

    Please read and quote the entire line.

>> You don't "have" to provide your SSN to anyone. Then again, they don't "have" to provide you
>> with the services you are requesting.

    Nope, you don't have to put in your SSN. You don't even have to file a tax return. You are not forced to provide your information to the IRS. Then again, if you fail to do either part, they may not play very nicely.

    By filing your tax return, you are requesting the service that they accept your paperwork and either allow you to pay, or refund your overpayment. By refusing to prove a SSN, they don't have to provide that service. Of course, they'll still come after you, so you're just out of luck.

IEDR's a basket case

[hellsDisciple]

The IEDR is a hotbed of infighting and interference. Started by a few select academics in Dublin's UCD, it is still being meddled with non-stop. I sure as hell don't care whether or not they want to register adult websites, but the IEDR are particularly nasty even to legitimate domain registrations. For example, a private citizen can't register a personal domain unless they're a company or publicly known celebrity like a politician. Leave the policing up to people better able to do the policing.

I''ve had it with this censorship bullshit.

[Jangchub]

It seems like every day on the front page is another story of how some gov't or corporation or religious group is trying - and succeeding - to destroy free speech. I just can't grok how stupid and greedy people are that they will stifle one of the greatest ideals in the world because they are offended/moremoneymoremoney/think of the children! C'mon people, the more you can deal with reality the more you can grow and learn. Censorship breeds weak minded individuals.

I'm not trying to troll but I'm so damn tired of people that can't even imagine that they might be wrong and that their values might possibly not be The Supreme Laws of the One True God For Real Cuz He Told Me So. Freedom of speech and press is the only light keeping the dark of ideological slavery and hermetically sealed ignorance at bay.

I hope live to see the day that there is cheap spaceflight and the people that can deal with reality the opposite opinions without knee-jerk animistic reaction can go terraform of the Moon or Mars. I'll leave this planet to the ideologues to enslave and go practice free speech somewhere else.

/rant. It was a shitty day at the wage slave factory, so forgive me. Or not.

Heres an idea!

[Anonymous Coward]

If it offends you, don't type it into the damned address bar.

Re:just move out of Ireland?

[macraig]

If you think we've finally become so "civilized" that physical revolutions with shooting and bombs are no longer necessary to achieve freedom and equality, then it's you who are the fuckwit.

We're overdue for one in the United States. If the American Revolution - the first one - had happened in a political and semantic climate like we have today, more likely than not the Founding Fathers who started it would be branded terrorists rather than revolutionaries. No doubt the British of the period did mentally picture the Americans exactly as we now mentally picture terrorists, even if they didn't use the word "terrorist" to describe that imagery. "Terrorist" is now an emotional buzzword taking its place alongside other words like "eugenics" and "atheist", all designed to twist and manipulate popular perceptions.

Revolutions are hardly a thing of the past. The people who deserve to be victims of them have simply gotten a LOT more skilled at manipulating people to forestall their punishment.

Re:It's a shame

[redkcir]

As if they needed another reason to drink. No porn? I guess I'd have to start.

Re:Name vs. content

[Fumus]

I would move the porn sites to kittens.ie or something similar. It's not an offensive name, and if some people get offended by the content, I get:
1) Free publicity
2) More profit

Honest Question Here

[AP31R0N]

Why do we have the TLDs?

They seem to be meaningless and create problems like WhiteHouse.com/.gov. i'd much rather know that www.Coca-Cola belongs to Coca-Cola and not "Jeff who had 20$ and got to it first".

If we had some kind of enforcement of what could be on what TLD, it would make sense. As it is, only .gov, .mil and .edu are meaningful. Even the national TLDs are fudgable.

Having a TLD of .adlt or .prn would allow parents and schools to block pr0n from their kids. Then if a site had porn on it, and it didn't have an appropriate TLD, you could fine it or take it down for a day or two. This would be to the advantage of the porn sites because their customers could easily find the product. "in *.prn: Chasey Lane".