Herald Sun – Australian web filter to block 10,000 internet sites:
“It is unclear how ACMA will scale up their blacklist to 10,000 websites and what will go on the list,” he said. Conroy said the list would contain illegal and unwanted content but we still have to see what would end up on that list.
“Under the current mandate that includes adult material, which would mean most material that could be rated R and, in some circumstances, material rated MA15+.”
Holy [CENSORED IN AUSTRALIA]! Rated R material could be banned from the Internet Down Under.
So could MA15+, which is roughly the equivalent of the PG13 rating in the U.S. “The “MA15+” rating is restricted to those 15 and over meaning those under 15 cannot legally view the film without being accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. It may contain strong bloody violence if justified by context, strong implication of sexual activity, and strong impact coarse language (though ‘very coarse language’ should be infrequent), and ‘strong themes’.”
Oddly, the same material might be played on Australian broadcast TV after 9:00 PM.
Both are not suitable for people under 15, but this is not legally restricted as TV is a broadcast medium. MA15+ rated material can be shown between 9:00pm and 5:00am. The AV15+ rating signifies that the program contains significant violence, and may only be shown between 9:30pm and 5:00am. If it is being viewed in a cinema, an adult must accompany a child if it is under 15.
Note: R18+ rated material is sometimes shown on broadcast television in Australia such as Eyes Wide Shut, Basic Instinct, Pulp Fiction, The Godfather and Kill Bill. However, such films are usually edited to make the films more appropriate for an M, MA15+ or AV15+ audience. Incidentally, Australian broadcast television is considerably more relaxed about sex and coarse language than the American networks.
I suppose it’s the height of foolishness to expect logic or consistency in censorship laws, but these seem to be pretty random.
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