Multiple major Australian telecoms companies have blocked access to several websites accused of hosting and allowing the dissemination of footage of the Christchurch terrorist attack.
The block on 4chan was lifted after a few hours, Nine News said, but it appears the other websites remain inaccessible. A spokesperson for Vodafone explained that the company would only usually block access to a site on the request of law enforcement or courts, but that this “was an extreme case which we think requires an extraordinary response…While there were discussions at an industry level about this issue, this is a decision Vodafone Australia came to independently,” the statement added. Optus explained it made its decision after “reflecting on community expectations.
There has not yet been any suggestion that American companies may follow the example being set in Australia. Floyd Abrams, a senior counsel at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP in New York and a First Amendment expert, told Newsweek that ISPs in the U.S. would be within their rights to block sites if they wished.
Amazingly enough “shitposting” has dropped to record low levels since this has taken effect.
What content do you think is on 4chan that you can’t find anywhere else?
Why publish the names so other idiots can find them?