Promoting And Protecting Digital Rights Since 1994
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Michael Atkinson replies to R18+ enquiries
A new six page form-letter from the South Australian Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson, on the topic of the lack of an R18+ rating for games has begun circulating. An EFA member has sent us the response he received; it seems almost identical to the ones available at both Kotaku and Reddit. [ ed: see also discussion at ausgamers. ] The letter reiterate that this is not going to be an easy…
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Weekend discussion at Ausgamers: Should the Classification Board attempt to establish precedent?
Steve Farrelly over at Ausgamers attempts to unravel the apparent inconsistency in two recent decisions of the Classification Board in rating computer games: refusing classification to Left 4 Dead 2, but granting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 an MA15+ rating, where in most other jurisdictions it was rated as suitable for adults only. Farrelly argues that: the system itself is flawed, because in [the Classification Board’s] arguments against classifying…
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Email your A-G and request the release of the discussion paper (one click tool from Gamers4Croydon)
New political party, Gamers 4 Croydon, have created a one-click tool to email your Attorney-General and request the release of the R18+ Discussion Paper. The next meeting of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General is apparently Thursday and Friday this week; if you care about an R18+ rating, send an email to your A-G now!
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ACTA copyright negotiations underway: still secret, still worrying
The new round of Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations has started in Seoul. This round sees the introduction of the long-anticipated internet enforcement measures, which the US has drafted in secret. Michael Geist reports that the draft text is modeled on the US – South Korea free trade agreement, and focuses on five issues: Baseline obligations inspired by Article 41 of the TRIPs which focuses on the enforcement of intellectual…
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Disappointing L4D2 demo released; write to the Minister!
The Australian version of the Left 4 Dead 2 demo has been released, and the highly cut version is a bitter disappointment for many Australian gamers. First impressions from Australian gamers indicates that the highly-censored version results in a vastly inferior atmosphere to the original, uncut version. The lack of an R18+ rating is likely to significantly harm Australian sales of the game, and we expect that many Australians will…
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Australia's lack of an R 18+ rating
Asher Moses is reporting on the outrage caused by leaked footage of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which allows players to play the part of a terrorist as part of a cut-scene. Once again, this story really shows how expressive video games can be. They’re constructed, like films, to elicit emotional responses in players, and some of them deal with fairly gritty subject matter. Films often show the villain’s…
Help fight for our digital rights
What We Do
Policy
We actively monitor a number of policy areas and specific issues. The topics below provide a detailed view of EFA’s policy positions.
Copyright
Australia’s copyright laws are outdated, inflexible and not fit for the digital age. As such, EFA is a long-standing supporter of reform of Australia’s Copyright Act.
Privacy & Security
Privacy is fundamentally about consent and control over access to information, and goes hand-in-hand with security. Privacy is a human right.
Censorship
Adults should be able to make their own informed decisions about what content they create and consume.
Encryption
Access to encryption technologies is vital for individuals and groups to be able to safeguard the security and privacy of their information.
Internet Safety
Surveillance is not safety. Safety for whom, against what? This complex problem is more likely to be exacerbated, rather than solved, by measures that allow for unaccountable surveillance and the undermining of communications security.
Surveillance
EFA is committed to ensuring that Australian’s home life is not subject to arbitrary interference.