[registrars] Re: FYI: German State Alters DNS To Censor Web Sites

["Ross Wm. Rader" <ross@tucows.com>]

The implications of this are indeed profound.

Also, to be fair, it should be noted that the original article has since
been amended to reflect that the alteration to the DNS was performed by a
technician that wanted to demonstrate that filtering of this nature could
indeed be done. In other words, this wasn't a state sponsored initiative
but, the state appears to be intent on pursuing an implementation similar to
this.

-rwr


----- Original Message -----
From: "Abel Wisman" <abel@able-towers.com>
To: "Ross Wm. Rader" <ross@tucows.com>; "Registrars@Dnso. Org"
<registrars@dnso.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2001 11:45 AM
Subject: Re: FYI: German State Alters DNS To Censor Web Sites


> Ross and list.
>
> to begin with i am not German, so not defending a country or ppl here,
> however when you deepen your reading (i know i know you need to be able to
> read in German) you will read that it orignially made to stop traffic to
know
> nazi propaganda sites.
>
> nazi propaganda is prohibited in most countries in the EU and even though
i
> do not agree with nazi's and in fact hate time profoundly for what they
did
> to my country  (netherlands) in the 2nd world war and to humanity  in
> general, i still think they have a right to free speech.
>
> It is a sad day indeed to realize we are getting just as worse as those we
> condemn, perhaps a return to the 60's would clarify some governements that
> according to the universal human right we are all entitled to free speech.
>
> what is next ?
>
> the list grows to long, perhaps we should start selling proxies again
>
> abel
>
>
> P.S.  Ross, if you want it all translated i can do but need some tme so
will
> be late tonight my time before you get all articles
>
>
>
>
> On Thursday 22 Nov 2001 3:28 pm, Ross Wm. Rader wrote:
> > Who says that the DNS is purely a technical exercise?
> >
> > "Rabenwolf writes: "In the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the
> > first ISP (ISIS Multimedia) has given in to pressure from the state
> > government and has started to block foreign websites with supposedly
> > "illegal content" by changing the corresponding DNS entries. ISIS
customers
> > trying to access these sites are redirected to the website of the local
> > government. ISPs in North Rhine-Westphalia will have to pay a fine if
they
> > continue to provide access to sites with "illegal content" through their
> > DNS servers. It's not as bad as China or Saudi-Arabia, but it makes you
> > think... An article from the heise newsticker is here, and if you don't
> > sprechen Deutsch, Google might help."
> >
> > http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/11/22/1415218&mode=flat
> >
> > If anyone has a reasonable translation of the Heise article, I would
love
> > to give it a read.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > -rwr
>
> --
> Abel Wisman
> office +44-20 84 24 24 2 2
> mobile +44-78 12 14 19 16
>
> www.able-towers.com for all your hosting and co-location at affordable
prices
> www.url.org domainregistrations, there is no better
> www.grid9.net bandwidth sales, for high-grade solutions
> www.telesave.net for the best rates on long distance calls