John Carr, from the Children’s Charities’ Coalition on Internet Safety, said ministers wanted the less stringent solution, meaning they are doing all they can to prevent parents and charities from putting forward their view.Oh? So…what are they doing?
He said the consultation, by the Department for Education, was much shorter than the usual length for government consultations – ten weeks instead of 12 – and has been timed for the summer to prevent people having their voices heard.
He added that the web page set up for people to respond is confusing and complicated, deterring many from taking part. Instead of the usual situation, where people can type in their comments directly on the page, in this case they have to download a Word document and fill in a long list of questions, before re-uploading the document.
They also have to go through a time-consuming security check.Hmmm. Odd.
Because it seems to me that these are likely to ensure that the fanatics on both sides (you vs the people involved in the industry) mobilise their forces and push their particular viewpoint home, while the average man on the Clapham omnibus gives up and fails to have his say…
‘None of this gives me the sense that the Government is straining every sinew to ensure a widespread consultation,’ said Mr Carr.
‘When you add it all up, it looks a bit dodgy. The Government clearly do not have any intention of changing their mind.’I think what motivates you more than anything is…you fear the industry will out-spend you on form completion troops.
There’s just not enough of the Legions Of The Perpetually Outraged.
Oh dear. So sad, too bad.
I think the government are correct with this and trying to do a little back-pedalling on what most thinking people see as the thin end of the wedge of net censorship.
ReplyDeleteTheir cries of 'think of the children' sound very hollow when they should be advocating the responsibility of the parents in supervising their children when using the net.
This sounds suspiciously like political campaigning by these 'charidees'. Time to rein them in.
ReplyDelete"...and trying to do a little back-pedalling on what most thinking people see as the thin end of the wedge of net censorship. "
ReplyDeleteLet's hops so, but I've not been impressed with the ConDem's record in that regard so far...
"Time to rein them in."
Long past time!