Archive for June 2009
The Department of Internal Affairs have responded to my questions about the $611,000 allocated for Censorship Enforcement Activity in the 2009/2010 budget.
Firstly, they confirm that the money is provided for each of the next four years.
Secondly, they talk about the increased cost of tracking down and prosecuting people for the possession and distribution of child sex abuse images.
Thirdly, and of most interest to me, there is a one-off capital contribution of $150,000 to the purchase of the software used in the internet filtering they intend to introduce this year.
The relevant section from the letter:
As you are aware, the Department’s compliance activity for 2009/2010 includes the implementation of a website filtering system for New Zealand. To date the development and operation of the trial system has been met from within the existing budget. Budget 2009 provides for a one-off capital contribution of $150,000 for the purchase of the software on which the filtering system is based.
Links to (not very good) scans of page 1 and page 2 of the letter.
The NZ Herald reports that a man’s appeal against a conviction for bringing in objectionable movies showing bestiality has been granted.
What interested me wasn’t the decision (which didn’t seem unreasonable) but the following:
After the computer was turned off, he thought nothing more about the movies until he was stopped at Auckland airport. … On the external hard drive of his computer a Customs officer found movie files depicting males and females having sex with dogs and horses.
I infer from this that NZ Customs are choosing to look at the contents of flash drives, external hard drives and laptops when they wish to.
I wonder if they look for pirated mainstream movies as well as the legally objectionable ones.
The other day I was reflecting on the multitude of technological tools and services I use in the course of my day to day life. Some that seem vital to me today (e.g. Gmail) didn’t even exist a few years ago, while others that were so important to my life in the past (e.g. Usenet) I haven’t with bothered with for ages.
I thought it might be interesting to record what tools I currently use and how I use them. Ideally I could update it every year or so and thereby create a personal technological timeline.
And my first thought on looking at it? “Gosh that’s a long list.”
Continue Reading “My Technology : Point in Time” »