Ukraine slaps ban on all porn
Porn is now illegal in the Ukraine, unless used for medicinal purposes. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko last week signed off on new legislation joining the Ukraine to an ever-lengthening list of countries that have decided to move the censorship goalposts over the last few years, from publication of porn on to simple …
Smith better not emigrate to Ukraine then then, with her husband !!
...which our currency converter helpfully reveals is approximately 69 British pounds...
Paris, because 69 is her favorite number!
What are these "medicinal purposes" that allow the possesion of porn? I just need clarification on this quite important issue.
Suggestions anyone?
Paris - given her past activities, she can safely strike Ukraine off the list as another place she is not welcome.
I just always wanted to use this title.
That is all.
"Don't come in my room mum - I'm having a medical moment!!!!"
Good for the Ukrainians. I'm sure that those affected will find better things to do than to sit around playing with themselves. Hopefully this will also protect vulnerable young women to some extent.
"Ukrainian moralising may therefore be of a home grown variety, or it may just be the latest example of "me too" bandwagon-jumping." That was insightful. In unrelated news, scientists have finally proven that humans have either evolved or have been created by a higher spiritual force.
"pursuing no other goal" is apparently one criteria of what determines something to be porn. So if the plumber actually fixes the broken dishwasher and maybe gives some advice on how to avoid it breaking down again then the material must not be porn then. Right?
Well, they did prove that having a hand shandy every day helps against getting prostate cancer, so technically every bloke can keep hold of their porn.
I suppose you could say you have scrotophilia, I can't see how they could disprove it.
Surely clearing the tubes must be considered medicinal?
Paris - because she has helped at least 2 patients in her life ;-)
An increase in sex offences in the Ukraine means it was right.
(not counting porn possession of course, they would need to be excluded to avoid confusing the data)
In Poland and Germany they have Pron on TV overnight as an incentive to increase the population... ie making babies....:)
which is very entertaining whilst trying to work out what the nationality of the honey stripping and trying to dance at the same time in weird places is, eg... whilst being attacked by randy remote control cars and having skate boarders trying to do stunts... whilst oogling the bobbing bits, or the paintball teams getting distracted whilst in the midst of a full on deathmatch, not forgetting the gokart race where an item of clothing falls off the racers on each lap, heaven forbid the pilot of the plane should become too distracted and crash the plane cos some blonds are having a wardrobe malfunction whilst sitting on the wings :))))))
Does the Ukrainian Pron business have a problem with competition, or is the country overrun with them creepy sick US neo-cons(who were too weird for even the USA) with thier hyprocrytic attitudes, do as i say not as i do, ways.
I mean there are an awful lot of Ukrainain and russian honeys out there looking for luv, along with millions of Boris/Vlad's looking to scam any sad westerners of all thier dosh to support poor olga and her poorly granny who needs lots of $$$ to pay the hospital bills... (yeah more likely thier bar/drug bill whilst they are over in Turkey getting drunk/drugged out fo thier minds and behaving worse than the brits in ibiza)
Paris... cos she's made a few (home grown pron films) and knows how to milk it for all its worth.
>> It is not clear whether this is a literal translation of confused law – or an attack of "Babel-itis" on the part of that paper.
"It is not clear whether this is a translation of a confused law – or an attack of "Babel-itis" caused by the newspaper literally translating the law into English."
Altavista's Babelfish (which I presume your 'Babel-itis' reference relates to), like many machine translators, relies quite heavily on 'formal equivalence' i.e. literal translation. The more generally useful form of translation, is dynamic equivalance, and involves using a bit of artistic license to retain the original meaning - it requires a knowledge of both languages and an understanding of the source text.
BTW, I think the word 'medicinal' is probably a mis-translation, perhaps the correct translation would be 'medical'? I can't see how porn could be used as medicinally, but I can see uses in a medical environment, for example, when when 'making donations' or 'producing samples'.
This is why I only wank to the Shopping Channel
The thing with hidden agenda's is that they are, well, hidden. So it's difficult to say from the taken measures itselves. So, let's go one step further, and look at the possible EFFECTS of these prohibitions.
If one prohibits pornography, or extreme porn as in the UK, you will want to block the distribution of this illegal stuff. Once the main distribution channels of porn were magazines and VHS tapes. These have been on sale since the invention of these media, and nobody objected.
Let's not forget that in the 80's the best videotape technology was called Philips Video 2000. It lost the battle agains Betamax and VHS in an early stage thanks to the scarse availablility of porn titles!
Today, what is the main distribution channel of pornography these days? It's most definitly the Internet!
So, if you want to block the distribution of (extreme) pornography today, you'll have to apply some kind of filtering of the internet! Interesting, isn't it?
Look around you right now and tell me, what is one of the most worrying developments on the Internet right now? If you think like me, you will say 'internet filtering'.
Can't it be that the powers in place are simply looking for excuses to apply internet filtering?
Many have come by. Let's take a look, shall we?
- Australia, the most well known issue, wants to block any kind of content that's unsuitable for chilldren. Above all, that includes pornography. How can a parent be against something noble like that?
- Germany wants to block childporn sites. I don't think anyone in it's right mind can argue against that.
- Several countries would like to block access to The Pirate Bay and/or file sharing. The reasons we all know. People are 'stealing' stuff, you know, like bloody shoplifters!
I know there are other countries, but they don't spring to mind at the moment.
Also, i'm not going to talk about China, Iran, North Korea and the likes, as the reasons for their blocking are clearly political and out in the open.
Anyway, maybe all the 'goals' and the 'measures' should be turned around?
The GOAL is to put deep packet inspection filters on the internet, and the MEASURE is to forbid and block the distribution of (extreme/child) pornography and stop file sharing networks.
Once filtering is in place, it can be used to block all kinds of undesired material. Just like many suspect it will be used eventually.
Apparently the powers in place are Afraid as Hell of the free and uncontrolled/uncontrollable flow of information. Newspapers and TV/Radio stations can be put under control, but hundreds of thousends of politically engaged blogs can only be filtered.
Time will tell, but let's see what happens next in Ukrain.
I bet it will demand some kind of filtering from it's local ISP's.
Cheers, Danny
.......could be they're trying to ...hide.. something.
The Ukranian currency has nosedived over the past year while retail prices for food, energy and the like have risen dramatically. Many people have lost their jobs and the country can't afford to keep up with payments for gas - this year's gas crisis will be early. The government has failed to introduce the measures required by the IMF, so they have been holding up loans to Ukraine.
The man the US pushed into the presidency is now so unpopular that his own party (Our Ukraine) has left him. Having polled about 10% at the last elections, Yuschenko has been trying unsucessfully to overule parliament for the last year or so. The word on the street is that he has his suitcases filled with cash, ready to leave for the USA in a hurry, when he is finally removed from power.
The stupidity of this law is that everyone knows the police will turn a blind eye to anything for the right amount of cash - so it won't protect anyone and this is purely a measure to justify spying on the populace. As they haven't even defined what constitutes pornography, anyone the government doesn't like might fall foul of this legislation. Yuschenko is probably thinking of arresting his former pal and now arch-enemy - the prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko. She once appeared on the cover of ELLE magazine but expressed a preference for being in Playboy.
Paris Hilton because she is another blond who has made a few risque photos.
... from governments around the world is what exactly it is they've decided to ban this week?
I mean, seriously, there's never any "and we decided on further research that banning this wasn't helpful" or "we think the last lot were probably a bit puritan so we're repealing their ban on X".
No, it's always "you're all children and can't be trusted, touching yourself is naughty and now it must be banned".
@Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face
Previous research has shown that sexual assault and rape fall in societies where porn is availalbke. So far from "protecting young ladies" (oh those poor, innocent darlings making hundreds of pounds an hour for shagging a stranger, which they'd probably be doing anyway at that age) it can actually put people at risk.
<pedantic>
It's not "the Ukraine", it's "Ukraine". The Ukraine was the name given to the country by the USSR when it was under its control, and so it's a bit of an insult to call it the Ukraine (at least for the Ukrainians I know).
Kind of like calling The Netherlands "Holland" I guess - yes, Holland is a part of The Netherlands, but it's not the same thing.
</pedantic>
has to ultimately be controlled by the government.
The internet has lasted longer than most though.
Feminists always want porn banned (for men at any rate,) because they want women to have some hold over men.
Politicians also want it banned, because Porn allows men to simply walk away from women, and women on their own, are simply a huge financial liability, their offspring are a huge social liability. Jack and the Beanstalk is morality tale, Single mothers breeding stupid thieving murderers and so on, not a fairy tale.
Bastards are antisocial and expensive, t'was always thus.
Such as politically adverse comments, non-mainstream websites and whatever the clown in charge (President, PM, King/Queen, whatever) decides.
Its a sad world that we live in, when reality comes much, much closer to the plot of Metal Gear Solid 2. All this snooping and "protection" reeks of "The Patriots".
Why does everything in this world have to be about a Hobson choice?
Either regulate the internet and allow the fucktards in turn to turn it into another tool for control or give carte blanche for Drug Barons, Child Traffickers and other scum to run amok.
Le Sigh.
>>Feminists always want porn banned (for men at any rate,) because they want women to have some hold over men.
I'd say "you don't know much about feminism, then", but er... well, you see where I'm going with that.
"Feminists always want porn banned (for men at any rate,) because they want women to have some hold over men."
I think you'll find that a nice pair of boobies can have a hold over men at a range of up to 50 feet!
Mine's the one with the medical research DVDs in 57 pockets...
"- Germany wants to block childporn sites. I don't think anyone in it's right mind can argue against that."
I can! I want the site taken down instead, but Germany proposes to ban sites even in Europe, even in the US , even when a single telephone call is all that's needed to take down a site, they'd still rather add it to the block list and not report it. Why?
Even then, the blocklist doesn't block images it blocks text, and even whole sites. Why?
Why? What's the agenda there?
Governments around the world feel threatened by the Internet, Chinese riots today are an example, Iranians challenging Shah Ali Khamenei's power after a bogus election. Brits complaining about Smith & Brown and their ilk.
I do not think there is any bogey man so big and scary that free speech can be discarded so easily.
And which aliens are responsible for beaming these thoughts into your head?
As David Blunkett is blind, I'm not sure he should factor so significantly in debates regarding sighted media (being incapable of experiencing it). I don't recall sighted people censoring braille porn...
@AC 12:36
You comment says far more about your attitude to women than the Ukraines.
"Every new media....has to ultimately be controlled by the government."
By Anonymous Coward Posted Tuesday 7th July 2009 12:36 GMT
Every new MEDIUM!! (or ALL new media)
Even if the sky is falling, nouns must agree with their verbs in case and number. Besides, I want to use the new Pedant icon...
Here we go again - some pyschologically abnormal puritan bans porn which is little more than pictures of naked people or people having sex. Err, whats wrong with that? We all do it so whats
the big deal of it being in pictures? Only the most abnormal repressed losers have an issue with porn.
But I bet violent films are still freely available to buy in Ukraine though. Oh yes. Want to see someone evicerated or shot to pieces or tortured (all acting you understand) then go ahead my friend! Want to see 2 people having sex? Oh no, can't do that , morally repugnent etc etc.
Funny how its legal to watch stuff thats illegal to do (kill someone) but its illegal to watch stuff that is legal to do (have sex?).
The lunatics really have taken over the asylum.
@boltar, too true.
Like how they define it... "Pornography is vulgar, candid, cynical, obscene depiction of sexual acts, pursuing no other goal, the explicit demonstration of genitals, unethical elements of the sexual act, sexual perversions, realistic sketches that do not meet moral criteria and offend honour and dignity of the human by inciting low instincts"
Surely, vulgar, candid, cynical obscene, unethical, perversions and moral criteria are all purely subjective? As for "do not meet moral criteria and offend honour and dignity of the human by inciting low instincts" - oh please, how can looking at naked bodies "offend honour" or incite low instincts for god sake - it's a perfectly natural act.
When did we all suddenly move back to Victorian times? Probably when the big creationism movement took hold in the 'States and started being taught as science...!
Ok, first the joke, (I can't resist ;) ... "Porn is now illegal in the Ukraine, unless used for medicinal purposes."
Wow, does this mean we can now get it on the NHS! ... I'm now suffering a mind DOS attack of ideas and jokes! ... :) ... NO CARRIER...
Joking aside, (if thats possible) ... but anyway, it makes me wonder what the instigators of these laws gain? ... What is it they see in porn that is so bad that they then need to force their will onto others? ... This is the key to why they bring in these laws.
Its very interesting that people with *unresolved* sexual identity issues can be some of the greatest bullies of others that ironically openly show them behaviors they try to suppress in themselves. (The key word being unresolved, because they are in conflict within themselves and they extend that conflict to others they seek to suppress). Its also very interesting how they are so often information control freaks but then that also makes sense because they fear the exposure of their own unresolved identity issues and so also extend that information control onto others. (J. Edgar Hoover is a classic example of this kind of information control freak behavior, seeking information on so many others to use to control and undermine others, yet look at his own behavior he feared so much being exposed).
I find it fascinating how these kinds of people fight to get into such high and powerful places in society so that they can gain the power to manipulate others according to their own wishes (and fears).
The human race will never achieve lasting peace, happiness and even simple fairness until these control freaks are finally driven out of power worldwide.
Countries shoud have right to enforce the law as they see fit. It's about time western nation crusading poor countries, we should mind our own business.
I'm not sure what it is now, but in Pakistan you used to have to prove you had an illness to get an alcohol allowance - so you basically had to prove that you were/are an alchy.
I wonder if they'll be doing the same thing here? You have to prove that wanking is a medical condition in order to get a 'license to wank'? The examination could be interesting. Ready, set... wank wank wank wank wank wank wank wank wank wank wank wank wank wank wank...
Although in the article it's just the possession of porn that is illegal? So infact you could still wank, albeit with just a bit more use of your imagination. Perhaps that's it? The government of the Ukraine wants to stimulate the minds of its population more. They're not getting enough mental exercise. Rather than use their imaginations, hoards of Ukrainians just prefer to spend all of their time lurched-over the sofa, watching/reading filth and pumping their fists (or fingers - I'm not sexist).
This isn't censorship at all. It's Brain Training (like that wii/DS title) on a country-wide scale.
People who trot out an arcane countermeasure unusable by all but a tiny minority of enthusiasts, and then dust off their hands as if they've solved the problem, are just as dangerous to freedom of thought and expression as those who tacitly support the 'unenforceable' measures.
Those sweeping laws banning unspecific images / texts / materials may look harmless because they are unenforcable. But they offer a way to criminalize people at will -- and therefore may be used to suppress people without further ado.
Reasonable suspicion, well, if you are a man that would be a check. So may I please enter the premises for a quick search - and if we take that computer along I am sure we can find something (let me just create that folder ...).
" and women on their own, are simply a huge financial liability, their offspring are a huge social liability. Jack and the Beanstalk is morality tale, Single mothers breeding stupid thieving murderers and so on, not a fairy tale.
Bastards are antisocial and expensive, t'was always thus."
No wonder you posted the above as AC you spineless twat.
I was born out of wedlock and grew up in a single parent family environment and last time I looked I have always worked, have never stolen or murdered and given my degree, post grads etc etc I am not that stupid either.
Interestingly my mother was tri lingual, achieved some notable feats and firsts and always supported herself.
Your parents managed to produce something that monsanto would have dumped as unworkable.
Heres hoping you stick to pulling the head of it furiously and no female is stupid or dead enough to breed with you.
Flames - nuff said
At least there's the medical exemption. I need pr0n, I'm sick. I can even get a doctor's note.
On a more serious note, when they sa medical, they probably mean to aid in extraction of semen samples.
Do I need to say why Paris?
Whilst a ban on all porn may seem unthinkable here, it's worth nothing that that's what many of the lobbyists for the "extreme porn" law want. And the Scottish Government, which is currently passing its own, already broader, version of this law, is being targetted by lobbyists (see http://www.melonfarmers.co.uk/gch09c.htm#Extreme_Responses_6667 , http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/justice/inquiries/CriminalJusticeandLicensing/ju-criminaljustice-evid.htm ), who are adding their own suggestions for additional categories to be criminalised (e.g., including non-realistic images, citing the example Second Life). In their almost word-for-word identical submissions (a great way of stacking the responses in their favour!), they say that this law should just be the "first step". Their end game is for all porn to be criminalised.
I don't know if it will happen, either now, or later. But the point is that the precedent has been set that adult images with consenting participants, even if the image is entirely fictional/staged, can be criminalised with no evidence, of harm, just on the grounds of personal taste. This opens the door for any number of anti-sex lobbyists to push for whatever type of image they dislike to be criminalised. Already the Scottish law is planned to be broader than for the rest of the UK, and it wouldn't surprise me if the UK law is extended further in future.
.....now classed as medical research facilities then?
Paris...I'm sure they've got plenty of her material on tape
Sexuality is a base human need it's the reason we are all here, it's like eating and breathing, it drives the species on and it needs release and attention. Simply laying in laws will not stop that need, it may well force some to seek release in other ways, not always legally and not always in pleasant ways.
Actually Jesse, human rights are universal, regardless of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs.
if they're so afraid of it.
the world already is overpopulated (mostly with idiots) so them not breeding would help in more ways than one.
Oh well, it's a running theme the world over at the moment, I expect it to get far worse long before it gets better - I wonder how many members of the Tory benches are members of a christian faction (about 40 odd of labour MPs and Lords including the previous and current PM are members of the socialist christian faction of the labour party.)
Just remember how much fun was had when the monarchy was overthrown and the nation run by Puritans? No dancing, no singing, no enjoyment of shagging, plenty of prayer, so on and so forth, didn't take long before the public wanted a monarch back. Give it 50 odd years and democracy here will fail, that'll be a laugh.
Wait, I have an idea. We deport New Labour, all the religious nutters, and other interfering nanny state idiots there, then build a huge wall around the country, leaving the rest of the world free for normal people
This might not be as bad as we are all thinking. Sure it sucks if you are in the Ukraine and you like porn, but for the rest of us, we could use this to our advantage.
For years, certain feminist groups have been saying that looking at porn creates victims of women, and can lead to increases in rape and domestic violence, with very little evidence to back this up.
In a few years, when the statistics in the Ukraine show that instances of rape and domestic abuse have gone up, or remained the same, we can point to the Ukraine and rip those feminazis a new one. And i can't wait. Fucking hate right wing feminists.
Maybe they're just trying to keep things in hand; or from getting out of hand; or from getting away from them...maybe they're just .....................gaaaaaaaaaa.......................
think of the children (and what they might be doing?)!!!!!
