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Italy Floats Official Permission Requirement for Web Video Uploads
An anonymous reader writes with some bad news from Italy, noting that new rules proposed there would "require people who upload videos onto the Internet to obtain authorization from the Communications Ministry similar to that required by television broadcasters, drastically reducing freedom to communicate over the Web." Understandably, some say such controls represent a conflict of interest for Silvio Berlusconi, "who exercises political control over the state broadcaster RAI in his role as prime minister and is also the owner of Italy's largest private broadcaster, Mediaset."
It's the same here in Switzerland, i never found that unusual.
I've spent a lot of time in Italy in my life, and when I tell people that I don't believe the Italian system of government has not changed very much since the days of the Caesars, they think I'm crazy. Caligula would feel right at home.
If you ever want to have your eyes opened to Italy, Italians and Italian culture, a great place to start is the very entertaining book my historian Luigi Barzini, The Italians. He claims that it's all about theater, which is not nearly as innocuous as it sounds.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Ah, and I do not think the bill will pass. Their strategy is to throw as many bad ideas out there that at some point one is bound to pass.
For the EU there is the European Court of Justice.