How this process works
In August 2005 the Government published a consultation document explaining the rationale for their proposals, and requested feedback form anyone interested by the beginning of December 2005 (1).
The Government held a press conference and the national press covered this at the time.
On this occasion the Government did not appear to do a great deal of research to substantiate their case, possibly because the last time this was done, a generation ago, the Williams report produced a very thorough review of all the evidence which is not exactly a ringing endorsement of the present Government's position.
We have unearthed and mounted the key chapter of the Williams report on this backlash site.
To help create an informed debate, backlash decided to collate contributions in one place. Because of their number - over 500 - they are being allocated to one of 3 categories - "official", ie Government, "experts" - those who have some specialised professional insight to contribute (but remember that experts incorporate society's value judgements, even of they do not realise it) - and "citizens", who might be individuals or organisations, whose views are equally valid on a moral issue like pornography.
(1) The consultation paper is available as
• The original 175 Kb pdf from the Home Office
• An 85 Kb
html version from a backlash supporter site.
• Extracts of significant ironic and inconvenient bits .
•See also the European Convention on Human Rights.
•The government's Code of Practice on Consultation .
Shooting the Messenger
The internet is a convenient scapegoat for society's ills.
The UK government is to legislate how best to imprison potentially many people for viewing content on the internet.
How should governments regulate the details of our personal lives and control individual expression ?
Preserve Individual Freedoms
Backlash campaigns to ensure the right remedies are applied to the right problems.
Whilst doing so we preserve hard won individual rights and liberties.
See no evil.
The government doesn't want you to view certain images. And will send you to prison if you possess them. Even in the privacy of your own home.