Thousands of internet users have launched a protest against a government plan to censor the internet.

“Get off the internet!” is a slogan used in an anti-government campaign on social networking site Facebook, with similar protests against the new media law appearing on the web.

Last week, the Sejm lower parliamentary house passed a law which forces owners of web sites with audio-visual content to register with the National Broadcasting Council, which will be able to “filter” them. Today, the Senate is to hold a debate on the matter.

Internet users have already started gathering signatures under the proposal to appeal against the new media law before the Constitutional Tribunal if the law comes into force. The law has also been criticised by private broadcasters TVN, Polsat and Puls TV, as well as entrepreneurs whose companies have web sites with audio-visual content.

“I smell a rat. It’s disguised censorship,” says Maria Nowina-Konopka, an expert on democracy on the internet. “It seems to me that when internet users supported the government, Civic Platform did not even mention working on the bill, but when they started criticising the government, the bill was immediately passed,” comments Nowina-Konopka.

“It is not my intention to control the internet or media,” assured PM Donald Tusk, promising that his co-workers will revise the bill.

Internet users are not optimistic, however. They remember that last year the government also tried to restrict internet freedoms by introducing an anti-gambling bill which obliged internet providers to block web sites with “dangerous” content. After a protest launched by internet users the government abandoned the idea. (mg/jb)

Source: Rzeczpospolita