Israel Considers Online Gambling Censorship
A controversial bill regarding online gambling sites passed its first reading on the way to becoming law in Israel. The bill, which would censor gambling as well as sex and violent websites, would need two more readings before the Knesset to officially be law.
If the law is enacted, Israeli internet providers would be expected to inform customers of a list of sites that would be blocked, unless explicit request by the individual customer to be excluded from the block were received. The list of sites has not been compiled, and composing the list is only one of the many problems in enforcing such a law.
Internet services have already raised the point that technology to quickly block individual sites and constantly adjust the list as to what is censored and to whom it is allowed does not exist.
Further, censorship protestors have been outraged. Knesset Economic Committee chairman Gilan Erdan said the measure would "turn Israel into a kind of Iran."
The names of those who asked to not receive the block would become a form of blacklist, giving the government access to materials which are by all right private, and covered in privacy protections.
"This is a black day for the Internet community in Israel," said Rimon Levy, president of the Israeli Internet Association. "The law will not protect even one child and will force a sheriff on citizens - the Communications Ministry."
If the law is passed, internet providers would have 60 days to comply or face huge fines.
