Internet censorship divides Finnish MPs

print this

The opinions of the members of the Finnish Parliament vary greatly when it comes to Internet censorship as a means of controlling the spreading of child pornography.
      According to those opposing the idea of censorship, the poorly working system hastily developed to control the distribution of child porn through the Internet can even cause the foundations of a constitutional state to totter.
     
The most eager supporters of the censorship, in turn, believe that the supervision should be extended to cover other types of pornography and violence as well.
      Voices for and against the censorship law are found across the board.
      According to MP Tuulikki Ukkola (Nat. Coalition), fending off child pornography deserves better tools than a censorship system that may be in breach of freedom of speech tenets.
      “If a democratic state starts to incorporate censorship in forcing out one evil, soon another kind of evil will also be censored and then a third one”, Ukkola argues.
      Ilkka Kantola (Soc. Dem.) wonders if the censorship can be directed accurately enough towards child pornography alone, and if it can be implemented in such a way that makes bypassing it sufficiently complicated.
     
The use, distribution, and producing of child pornography are based on the extremely objectionable sexual exploitation of children. I do not support quick-fix superficial solutions to a difficult issue such as this”, Kantola states.
      Oras Tynkkynen (Green League), among others, believes that the present control system works against its original intent: it does not hamper the distribution of child pornography. Instead, it can even help people to locate the forbidden websites. Tuomo Puumala (Centre) considers the law far too vague and open to various interpretations and the technical censorship solutions inadequate.
     
Many MPs would rather give the police more funds to intensify international cooperation, instead of compiling a list of forbidden websites.
      MP Jari Larikka (Nat. Coalition), on the other hand, would like to open up a dialogue on widening the censorship.
      “Raw violence, for one, should also be included in the discussion”, Larikka points out.
      Social Democrat Matti Saarinen agrees with Larikka. In his view “there are enough problems already related to trash pornography and violence, even without such rubbish being advertised on the Internet in the name of the freedom of speech.”
      "A person learns by mimicking, and the outcome is clearly visible in our society”, Saarinen adds.
     
The law on measures to restrain the spreading of child pornography came into force in the beginning of 2007.
      The Parliamentary Committee for Constitutional Law did not discuss the law at the time, but the committee chair Kimmo Sasi (Nat. Coalition) has considered it problematic.
      “It should have been discussed in the committee. This can still be done, if it is amended, or if the Ministry of Transport and Communications requests a pronouncement on it”, Sasi explains.
     
In the coming weeks, the Ministry of Justice will produce a memorandum in which the law is considered from the points of view of freedom of speech and criminal policy.
      Among Finland’s Internet service providers, for example TeliaSonera is about to start offering content control as an optional service for its clients.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Police admit child porn site blocking list contains old addresses (29.2.2008)
  Legislation considered to make filtering online child pornography mandatory (21.2.2008)
  Anti-Internet censorship website placed on police filter list over links to child porn sites (14.2.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat