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UK Health Secretary Urges Social Media Companies To Block Cyberbullying And Underaged Sexting (betanews.com)
Mark Wilson shares his article on Beta News:
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has made calls for technology companies and social media to do more to tackle the problems of cyberbullying, online intimidation and -- rather specifically -- under-18-year-olds texting sexually explicit images. Of course, he doesn't have the slightest idea about how to go about tackling these problems, but he has expressed his concern so that, in conjunction with passing this buck to tech companies, should be enough, right?
Hunt apparently believes there's already a technology which can identify sexually explicit photos, and that social media networks should now also develop algorithms to identify and block cyberbullying, an idea the Guardian called "sadly laughable."
"Is the blanket censorship of non-approved communications for all under 18s -- something that goes far further than even the Great Firewall of China -- really the kind of thing a government minister should be able to idly suggest in 2016?"
Hunt apparently believes there's already a technology which can identify sexually explicit photos, and that social media networks should now also develop algorithms to identify and block cyberbullying, an idea the Guardian called "sadly laughable."
"Is the blanket censorship of non-approved communications for all under 18s -- something that goes far further than even the Great Firewall of China -- really the kind of thing a government minister should be able to idly suggest in 2016?"
If you plan to propose a law concerning the internet and telecommunication:
1) Find out how the internet and telecommunication infrastructure works.
2) Ponder how to enforce the law.
3) Ponder who gets to set the required rules and regulations to enforce the law.
4) Propose it.
Jumping straight to 4, as you usually do, leads to ridicule and only accomplishes that you're showing off your ignorance to a more and more computer- and internet-savvy population. In other words: Don't do it if you value your career.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Unfortunately (especially for those of us in the UK), Mr.Hunt has a number of views that appear to be at odds with reality. e.g. https://www.newscientist.com/a...
In the UK, if you speak to many doctors about the minister, prepare yourself for a very, *very* long stream of invective.