Media Release

Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc.

Media Release                                     8th March 1999

	EFA attacks Internet Code of Practice

Internet freedom watchdog Electronic Frontiers Australia today released
a detailed critique of the Internet Industry Association (IIA) Code of
Practice, urging a total redraft of the provisions relating to censorship
and user privacy.

The critique is available at
        http://www.efa.org.au/Publish/iia_crit40.htm

"The Code attempts to cover both Internet Access Providers and commercial
content providers under one Code, which leads to unnecessary confusion".

There are also huge problems with the IIA Code from a user's point of
view", said EFA chair Kim Heitman.

"The Code requires web page developers to censor, label, or
password-protect any material that is 'unsuitable for children'", Heitman
explained.  "This will have a chilling effect on freedom of expression,
especially for ordinary users who cannot afford legal advice or content
classification by expert services."

"The Code makes every ISP and every web page owner a Content Provider
subject to censorship at the demand of any one of dozens of State and
Federal officials, including every Gaming Authority."

The Code forbids the publication of links or directions to material
which it is illegal to publish (in any State or Territory), even though
publishing the titles or ISBNs of banned films and books is perfectly
legal offline.

Mr Heitman continued: "The Code will, directly or indirectly, force
web page owners to rate their pages, which will impose a huge cost on
industry for no good effect.  Moreover, the rating protocol to be used
is the now discredited PICS system."

"The burdens the IIA Code places on Australian content providers will
hinder their ability to compete internationally.  But they will have no
practical effect on Australian access to controversial material."

Only a tiny fraction of the content on the Internet resides in Australia.
Repeated legal decisions in the United States have made it clear that
similar regulation will not be imposed on US content providers.

Mr Heitman concluded: "The Code requires ISPs to abide by an advertising
code of practice that is not yet available, and Government regulations on
prices and conditions that are not yet written. It will be administered by
a government department that does not yet have the necessary legislative
powers."

"No consumer organisation has yet been appointed to the IIA Administrative
Council.  There has not been nearly enough public discussion of a Code
which purports to set standards for the whole industry.  We urge users
to lobby their ISPs not to submit to this Code."

ENDS

      --------------------------------------------------------------
      Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc  --  http://www.efa.org.au/
      representing Internet users concerned with on-line freedoms
      --------------------------------------------------------------
      Media Contacts

      Kim Heitman          Danny Yee
      Phone: 08 9458 2790  Phone: 02 9351 5159 (w) / 02 9955 9898 (h)
      kheitman@it.com.au   danny.yee@efa.org.au
      --------------------------------------------------------------

BACKGROUND

IIA Code, "for adoption" version 4.2:
        http://www.iia.net.au/Code4.html

The EFA response
        http://www.efa.org.au/Publish/iia_crit40.htm

Other Codes: 

  The South Australian Internet Association Code of Ethics and Conduct
        http://www.saia.asn.au/Documents/coc_v2-1.html

  The Western Australian Internet Association Code of Conduct
        http://www.waia.asn.au/Documents/CodeOfConduct.html

  The Tasmanian Internet Association Code of Conduct
        http://www.tia.asn.au/documents/code_of_conduct.html

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