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EU Proposal Would Encourage Web Users To Flag Suspicious Web Pages
littlekorea writes "Web surfers in Europe might soon be asked to 'flag' for law enforcement follow-up any web content they suspect incites terrorism, under an plan a group of EU governments has put to the internet industry. The plan asks for ISPs, search engines, web hosts and everyday users to play a larger role in identifying suspect content. Google already has a similar feature on YouTube — will we see it in the browser?"
Who wants to bet that the top of the list of "flagged" sites will be comprised of EU government and law enforcement sites? I guess we'll only know for sure if they refuse to release a list of the top sites flagged. In fact, I dare say that the list will be so cluttered with joke flaggings that it will be difficult to determine what, if any, sites identified are actually "inciting terrorism" (not helped by the fact that one man's terrorist is another man's political leader).
But then again, I suspect the goal of this really isn't to actually identify terrorist sites. I suspect that this is just more of the same sort of security circus show that has the TSA making me take off my shoes at the airport, even as they load a hundred suitcases of largely unscrutinized baggage on the same plane. It could also be another step in getting Europeans used to the idea of law enforcement dictating terms to ISP's and of "flagged" websites being blocked--almost all of which will of course end up being torrent sites, proxies, Wikileaks and other leak sites, etc. that have nothing to do with terrorists.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
- soon to be followed requests to report by child abuse, drug trade, piracy, and general critique of the EU and government.
We are slowly learning from the US laws.
I suspect that this is just more of the same sort of security circus show that has the TSA
Well, in awkward defense of this plan (I don't think it will work either) I must point out that this is probably several orders of magnitude cheaper than what those TSA actions cost you as a tax payer. I mean, we have right now on the local level a report-to-the-police then police-investigate system complete with repercussions if that system is abused. And that sometimes works well so why wouldn't a similar plan work for the web on a larger level and be way cheaper than TSA groping and cancer dosing at airports?
TSA making me take off my shoes at the airport
The difference between these two things is that the article makes it sounds like you can opt in to report pages for terrorism. Nobody would be making anyone do anything in this EU scenario. I don't see any threats of failure to report citations or whatever you would do to enforce this.
even as they load a hundred suitcases of largely unscrutinized baggage on the same plane.
That's not true, the screen every bag. I had a lot of olive oils and mustards (two of my favorite condiments) as Christmas presents that I flew back with from MSP to IAD and when I arrived and got my luggage there was a little note in my bag saying the contents had made them hand search it after it was screened.
It could also be another step in getting Europeans used to the idea of law enforcement dictating terms to ISP's and of "flagged" websites being blocked--almost all of which will of course end up being torrent sites, proxies, Wikileaks and other leak sites, etc. that have nothing to do with terrorists.
They pretty much said that in the article (except that would be a separate system left to nation by nation laws):
This could be combined with a ‘notice and take down’ system under which law enforcement agencies would assess flagged web pages and forward take down notices to ISPs if the content is believed to contravene national laws.
I don't think they're like the United States in that respect but I guess only time will tell. I think it'd be smart of the EU to stay out of petty things like copyright infringement as the cost and infrastructure would be far too high and there are bigger problems like terrorism, sex trafficking, etc to target.
My work here is dung.
Ignorance and apathy. The root of forms all complacency.
Flagging the White House Web Site.
This will be the 21st century Cones Hotline
There are many former Stasi informers who are probably more than happy to apply their organizational and informant skills to this new challenge.
Web of Trust already provides a very valuable service in flagging suspect and malicious websites. It's a mix of both automated systems and user input.
Very useful, very effective and very easy. The only thing it "lacks" is the ability to report something to the "authorities", but I don't consider that to be a fault.
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hoplophobia
I had to look up this word. It means "fear of weapons" (I thought a Hoplon was a shield, not a general weapon). Somehow some some Americans think weapons are perfectly safe and normal, even in an environment where you don't need them for the dangerous wildlife. How sick must you be to come up with such a word?
Nae king! Nae laird! Nae yurrupiean pressedent! We willna be fooled again!
First it was the DMCA, then SOPA and PIPA. Now it looks like Europe is likewise adopting the model of taking down content based on claims of infringement/illegality rather than actual infringement or illegality. From TFA: "This could be combined with a ‘notice and take down’ system under which law enforcement agencies would assess flagged web pages and forward take down notices to ISPs if the content is believed to contravene national laws."
There's also a major flaw in this plan: Crowdsourcing is only as good as your crowd, which in this case is likely to consist mostly of idiots.
"In prison you just have to shut your eyes and take it. Here you have to shut your eyes and give it."
You can read the full draft proposal of CleanIT project here: http://www.cleanitproject.eu/CLEAN%20IT%20DRAFT%20DOCUMENT%2002.doc Although the draft itself seems bad, this CleanIT is basically wishful thinking by some police organizations. It's far from becoming a law, or even a proposal for a law.