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The Levi-Prodi law and the end of the Internet (in Italy - for the time being!)
Beppe Grillo's blog ^ | 19 October, 2007 | Beppe Grillo

Posted on 10/19/2007 11:31:42 AM PDT by ScaniaBoy

Ricardo Franco Levi, Prodi’s right hand man , undersecretary to the President of the Council, has written the text to put a stopper in the mouth of the Internet. The draft law was approved by the Council of Ministers on 12 October. No Minister dissociated themselves from it. On gagging information, very quietly, these are all in agreement.

The Levi-Prodi law lays out that anyone with a blog or a website has to register it with the ROC, a register of the Communications Authority, produce certificates, pay a tax, even if they provide information without any intention to make money.

Blogs are being born every second, anyone can start one without a problem and they can write their thoughts, publish photos and videos. In fact, the route proposed by Levi limits access to the Internet. What young person is going to submit to all these hoops to do a blog? the Levi-Prodi law obliges anyone who has a website or a blog to get a publishing company and to have a journalist who is on the register of professionals as the responsible director.

99% would close down. The lucky 1% still surviving on the Internet according to the Levi-Prodi law would have to respond in the case of the lack of control on defamatory content in accordance with articles 57 and 57 bis of the penal code. Basically almost sure to be in prison. The draft Levi-Prodi law has to be approved by Parliament. When Levi was asked what would happen to Beppe Grillo’s blog, he replied with perfect Prodian-bottom-protecting words: “It’s not up to he government to establish that. It’ll be for the Communications Authority to indicate with regulations, which people and which companies will have to register. And the regulations will arrive only after the law has been discussed and approved by the Lower House.”

Prodi and Levi take cover behind Parliament and the Beppe Grillo Communications Authority, but it’s them, and the Ministers who were present at the Council of Ministers who are responsible. If the law gets passed, it’ll be the end of the Internet in Italy. My blog won’t close. If I have to, I’ll transfer lock stock, barrel and server to a democratic State.

PS. Anyone wishing to express their opinion to Ricardo Franco Levi can send an email to: levi_r@camera.it


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: censorship; it; italy; licensetospeak; prodi; regulatedspeech; taxes
I know this is a comment from a blog. But I think it is newsworthy and I couldn't find any other article on this issue that was not in Italian.

Honi soit qui mal y pense.

1 posted on 10/19/2007 11:31:46 AM PDT by ScaniaBoy
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To: ScaniaBoy

Prodi the Communist setting the precedent.


2 posted on 10/19/2007 11:33:43 AM PDT by SolidWood ("I knew my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol.")
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To: ScaniaBoy

Don’t Reid or Pelosi see this.


3 posted on 10/19/2007 11:34:33 AM PDT by AU72
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To: ScaniaBoy
This is like saying all these rules would apply to "letters to the editor" -

everyone be very, very quiet. We don't want the hitlery/peelosi/dingy gang getting a heads up

4 posted on 10/19/2007 11:43:12 AM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time" LINCOLN)
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To: ScaniaBoy
If we let the RAts win - this WILL be coming to us - believe it.
5 posted on 10/19/2007 11:44:15 AM PDT by maine-iac7 ("...but you can't fool all of the people all of the time" LINCOLN)
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To: ScaniaBoy
Honi soit qui mal y pense.

I may be wrong, but I think that's Old Norman Law French, not Italian. I'll check my garter and get back to you.

6 posted on 10/19/2007 11:45:56 AM PDT by Alter Kaker (Gravitation is a theory, not a fact. It should be approached with an open mind...)
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To: ScaniaBoy

Maybe I should start an Italian language blog :)


7 posted on 10/19/2007 11:48:56 AM PDT by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Take Back The GOP!)
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To: Alter Kaker

My Honourable Knight. You are quite right. I just wanted to ward off the Mods.

:-)


8 posted on 10/19/2007 11:58:00 AM PDT by ScaniaBoy (Part of the Right Wing Research & Attack Machine)
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To: GOP_1900AD

Not a bad idea!

:-)


9 posted on 10/19/2007 11:59:20 AM PDT by ScaniaBoy (Part of the Right Wing Research & Attack Machine)
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