The French government have joined forces with internet providers to block sites that contain child pornography, hate speech, and content that is deemed as promoting terrorism.

I agree 100% that child pornography should be erradicated form the net. However, when you get into defining exactly what falls into the category of hate speech -- and which sites promote terrorism -- then you get into a very gray area.

I'm a firm believer in free speech; even if a person's opinions might be deemed offensive, bigoted, or racist. Of course, I can understand blocking sites that are advocating violent acts -- and can be traced to bona fide terrorist groups. But it's a very slippery slope to start censoring the petty minded individuals among us who wish to use the net to spread their prejudices.

This could be one more step toward bringing net neutrality to a screeching halt. If I disagree with the government on certain policies, and voice my opinion adamantly, would that qualify as hate speech? I could see that as a very real possibility. Already in the US some months back. a bill was passed (H.R. 1955) that might well be used to silence any sort of criticism of US policies. Of course, it was introduced, supposedly, to fight homegrown terrorism. I advise everyone to read this document thoroughly to see just how vaguely worded it is -- especially the part about what constitutes violent radicalization. Will they soon be locking people up just for expressing any sort of "radical thoughts?"

What frightening scenario.

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