US/UK discuss limiting and rating websites

[Bill]

They've been blathering about doing this for years.

Thing is, there are already self-rating systems in place which we all use already. Browsers and safe surfing softwares already check for and respond to several different sets of rating system codes placed in the headers of webpages.

But politicians don't know enough about the net to know this.

Nor do most parents I guess.

[Kisa]

Originally Posted by Bill

They've been blathering about doing this for years.

Thing is, there are already self-rating systems in place which we all use already. Browsers and safe surfing softwares already check for and respond to several different sets of rating system codes placed in the headers of webpages.

But politicians don't know enough about the net to know this.

Nor do most parents I guess.

Oh I know but they'll beat this drum for as long as they can- Am I wrong in thinking that ultimately, it's google who decides these things... if not completely obvious to the general public...??

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Kisa

Am I wrong in thinking that ultimately, it's google who decides these things... if not completely obvious to the general public...??

Personally I think that's completely correct. Google decides most of what happens on the net.

I think almost all adult webmastrs would welcome any kind of "official" rating system that effectively kept non-adult surfers the hell off our pages. I certainly would. (Just as we would welcome a true digital signature, true secure identity, and true micropayments and true IP protection.)

Thing is, the politicians don't act as if their goal is to protect, as, for example, Bush's 2257 debacle aptly demonstarted. They want to appeal to people's prejudices by creating a system that doesn't regulate, but censors and imposes punitive costs on the adult business.

What the politicians seem to most want to do is protect the business models of the old economy, not try to solve the biggest problems of the 21st century new information economy.