Censor Watch

Adult industry, sex worker and digital rights advocates unanimously have sounded the alarm about the implications for state censorship and privacy issues of the revived EARN IT Act, which was re-introduced to the US Senate by Richard Blumenthal.

The bill is a broad overhaul of Section 230 protections to strip platforms of immunity for third-party uploaded content. The expected industry response is for social media and internet services to totally ban swathes of content that contain controversial content rather than attempt to recognise just those posts that contravene the law.

As XBIZ has reported, EARN IT will also open the way for politicians to define the legal categories of pornography and pornographic website as they which is a cherished goal of morality campaigners that seek to reintroduce obscenity prosecutions for content now protected by Free Speech jurisprudence.

EARN IT has been championed by top religiously-motivated anti-porn crusading groups such as NCOSE (formerly Morality in Media).

The House of Lords has given a second reading to the Digital Economy Act 2017 (Commencement of Part 3) Bill [HL] which is attempting to resurrect the failed law requiring age verification for porn websites. The bill reads:

Commencement of Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017

The Secretary of State must make regulations under section 118(6) (commencement) of the Digital Economy Act 2017 to ensure that by 20 June 2022 all provisions under Part 3 (online pornography) of that Act have come into force.

The full reasoning for law to come into force have never been published but this is most likely due to the law totally failing to address the issue of keeping porn users' data safe from scammers, blackmailers and thieves. It also seems that the government would prefer to have general rules under which to harangue websites for not keeping children safe from harm rather than set to an expensive bunch of film censors seeking out individual transgressors.

The 2nd reading debate featured the usual pro-censorship peers queing up to have a whinge about the availability of porn. And as is always the case, most of them haven't been bothered thinking about the effectiveness of the measures, their practicality and acceptability. And of course nothing about the safety of porn users who foolishly trust their very dangerous identity data to porn websites and age verification companies.

Merlin Hay, the Earl of Erroll seems to be something of a shill for those age verification companies. He chairs the Digital Policy Alliance ( dpalliance.org.uk ) which acts as a lobby group for age verifiers. He excelled himself in the debate with a few words that have been noticed by the press. He spouted:

What really worries me is not just extreme pornography, which has quite rightly been mentioned, but the stuff you can access for free -- what you might call the teaser stuff to get you into the sites. It normalises a couple of sexual behaviours which are not how to go about wooing a woman. Most of the stuff you see up front is about men almost attacking women. It normalises -- to be absolutely precise about this, because I think people pussyfoot around it -- anal sex and blowjobs. I am afraid I do not think that is how you go about starting a relationship.

The German government has recently made it clear that it will impose fines and sanctions on the social messaging app Telegram if it continues to ignore the authorities' requests.

In April 2021, the federal government sent two letters to the social media company, demanding that Telegram appoints a contact person in Germany and make it easier for users to report illicit content. More recently, the German police sent multiple requests to Telegram, to try and get them to comply with the NetzDG censorship law. Telegram has yet to respond to these requests.

Now, politicians in Berlin have made it clear that they plan to get tough with Telegram. Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said: Telegram, like everybody else, has to adhere to our laws.

Technology experts have warned that banning Telegram would be difficult, both technically and constitutionally. On the one hand we are celebrating Telegram's lack of censorship and its importance for democratic movements in Belarus and Iran, and on the other, we are then disabling the service here, said digital journalist Markus Reuter.

Elvis Costello has revealed he will no longer perform his biggest hit, Oliver's Army, and has also asked radio stations to stop playing the song.

Written about the conflict in Northern Ireland, the lyrics contain the racial slur 'white niggers' used to describe Irish Catholics. The song about the army and imperialism has recently fallen foul of cancel culture owing to his barbed inclusion of the word to describe a British private:

Only takes one itchy trigger,
One more widow,
one less white nigger.

Costello explained the decision to the Telegraph:

If I wrote that song today, maybe I'd think twice about it, he says. That's what my grandfather was called in the British army -- it's historically a fact -- but people hear that word go off like a bell and accuse me of something that I didn't intend.

On the last tour, I wrote a new verse about censorship, but what's the point of that? So I've decided I'm not going to play it. When the song is broadcast on the radio the offending word is often bleeped out which, says Costello, is a mistake. They're making it worse by bleeping it for sure. Because they're highlighting it then. Just don't play the record!

Costello added that radio stations will do him a favour by not playing the track again.

Ludicrous academics at the University of Northampton have issued a trigger warning for George Orwell's novel 1984 on the grounds that it contains explicit material which some students may find offensive and upsetting.

The book is one of several literary works which have been flagged up to students at Northampton who are studying a module called Identity Under Construction . They are warned that the module addresses challenging issues related to violence, gender, sexuality, class, race, abuses, sexual abuse, political ideas and offensive language.

In addition to Orwell's book, academics identify several works in the module that have the potential to be offensive and upsetting including the Samuel Beckett play Endgame , the graphic novel V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd and Jeanette Winterson's Sexing The Cherry .

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said:

There's a certain irony that students are now being issued trigger warnings before reading Nineteen Eighty-Four. Our university campuses are fast becoming dystopian Big Brother zones where Newspeak is practised to diminish the range of intellectual thought and cancel speakers who don't conform to it.

Too many of us -- and nowhere is it more evident than our universities -- have freely given up our rights to instead conform to a homogenised society governed by a liberal elite "protecting" us from ideas that they believe are too extreme for our sensibilities.

A Northampton University spokesman said:

• While it is not university policy, we may warn students of content in relation to violence, sexual violence, domestic abuse and suicide. In these circumstances we explain to applicants as part of the recruitment process that their course will include some challenging texts. This is reinforced by tutors as they progress through their programme of studies.

Offsite Comment: RIP Satire

24th January 2022. See article from spiked-online.com by Brendan O'Neill

I suppose it was only a matter of time before the woke mob came for Nineteen Eighty-Four. A novel that suggests it is a very bad thing to censor inconvenient opinions, to memory-hole problematic culture, to treat alternative ways of thinking as a species of mental illness, and to engage in orgies of spittle-flecked hatred against those deemed to be the enemies of correct thought?

See article from spiked-online.com

US-based Tor Project and Russian digital-rights protection org RosKomSvoboda are appealing a Russian court's decision to block access to public Tor nodes and the project's website.

The Tor Project operates the Tor decentralized network, which runs on top of the Internet, allowing users to bypass censorship, access websites anonymously, and visit special Onion URLs (.onion) accessible only over Tor.

In December, the Tor Project announced that Russia blocked their website and various public Tor nodes used to connect to the decentralized network in regions of Russia.

RosKomSvoboda and Tor believe that the court's decision to block the Tor Project's website and infrastructure is illegal for the following reasons:

• The case was considered without the participation of the representatives of Tor, which violated their procedural rights and the adversarial nature of the process;
• The decision violates the constitutional right to freely provide, receive and disseminate information and protect privacy.

For now, Russian users can bypass the country's censorship of the website using a mirror site hosted by the Electronic Frontier Foundation at https://tor.eff.org/ . Volunteers have also contributed over 1,000 additional Tor bridges that are not currently blocked, allowing Russian people to access the Tor network and counter government censorship.

The UK Government believes that British people should sacrifice protection against internet scammers, spammers and thieves in the name of being able to scan people's messages looking for child porn.

Perhaps a little like unacceptably asking people not to use door locks so that the police can always drop in to people's homes to check for child abuse.

Now it seems that the government is going to extremes to forward their beliefs by setting up a fake campaign website to pretend that people are calling for the removal of their basic internet security of end to end encryption used in several messaging apps.

Rollin Stone magazine has revealed:

The Home Office has hired the M&C Saatchi advertising agency -- a spin-off of Saatchi and Saatchi, which made the Labour Isn't Working election posters, among the most famous in UK political history -- to plan the campaign, using public funds.

A Home Office spokesperson said in a statement.

We have engaged M&C Saatchi to bring together the many organisations who share our concerns about the impact end-to-end encryption would have on our ability to keep children safe/

In response to a Freedom of Information request about an upcoming ad campaign directed at Facebook's end-to-end encryption proposal, The Home Office disclosed that, Under current plans, £534,000 is allocated for this campaign.

Offsite Comment: Why we need End To End Encryption

...And why it's essential for our safety, our children's safety, and for everyone's future

18th January 2022. See article from alecmuffett.com by Alec Muffett

Annaatthe Annaatthe is a 2021 India action drama by Siva Starring Rajinikanth, Meena and Kushboo BBFC category cuts were required for a 12A rated cinema release in 2021. Summary Notes It is based on the relationship shared between a brother and his sisters. Versions cut: run: 161m pal: 155m UK: Passed 12A uncut with a BBFC trigger warning for moderate violence, bloody images, threat, suicide scene: 2021 cinema release The BBFC commented: The distributor chose to make cuts to violence and bloody images in order to achieve a 12A certificate. An uncut 15 was available.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is a 2021 USA horror mystery thriller by Michael Chaves Starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson and Julian Hilliard   Uncut and MPA R rated in the US. This was initially rated 18 uncut, by the BBFC but the distributors preferred a cut 15 rated version for 2021 cinema release. For home video the 4K Blu-ray is uncut but all the other formats are cut. The film is rated 16 uncut  by IFCO for Irish cinema release. Summary Notes A chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they'd ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense. Versions category cuts cut: ~10s run: 111:43s pal: 107:15s Ireland UK: The UK edit was passed 15 for strong threat, horror, violence after BBFC category cuts: 2021 Warner Bros R0 Blu-ray at UK Amazon 2021 Warner Bros R0 DVD at UK Amazon #ad 2021 Warner Bros Amazon Prime VoD [UK only] 2021 cinema release The BBFC commented: The distributor chose to reduce bloody injury detail in a suicide scene in order to obtain a 15 classification. An uncut 18 classification was available. Of course the BBFC is referring to vertical wrist slitting which is disallowed at 15. See the uncut scene in video from streamable.com . Ben comments: I've seen the uncut footage and 18 is absurdly harsh. It's demonic possession and *technically* self-harm, but not an attempted suicide at all as the BBFC called it. You see glass and blood on the man's wrist but no clear sign of process and injury Ireland: The UK Edit was rated 15 uncut for strong supernatural violence. 2021 video uncut run: 111:53s pal: 107:24s Ireland Ireland UK: Passed 18 uncut for strong injury detail, horror: 2021 Warner Bros R0 4K Blu-ray at UK Amazon #ad 2021 cinema release, unreleased as the distributors opted for a cut 15 release Ireland: Rated 15 uncut for strong supernatural violence. 2021 video Ireland: Rated 16 uncut for very strong gory violence. 2021 cinema release running at 111:44s US: Uncut and MPA R rated for terror, violence and some disturbing images: 2021 Warner Bros. R0 4K Blu-ray at US Amazon #ad 2021 Warner Bros. (RA) Blu-ray at US Amazon #ad 2021 Warner Bros. R1 DVD at US Amazon #ad 2021 Warner Bros. Amazon Prime VoD [US only] at US Amazon #ad

Enemy Enemy is a 2021 India action thriller by Anand Shankar Starring Arya, Malavika Avinash and Duy Beck BBFC category cuts were required for a 12A rated cinema release in 2021. Summary Notes It's the story of two childhood friends and their escalating competitive nature. To what extent are they ready to go? Versions cut: run: 157m pal: 151m UK: Passed 12A uncut with a BBFC trigger warning for moderate bloody violence, threat, suicide references, sexual threat: 2021 cinema release The BBFC commented: Company made cuts to remove moments of strong bloody violence and injury detail in order to obtain a 12A classification. An uncut 15 classification was available.

The Gestapo's Last Orgy L'Ultima Orgia del III Reich Bourreaux SS Last Orgy of the Third Reich Des Filles pour le Bourreau Caligula Reincarnated as Hitler The Gestapo's Last Orgy is a 1977 Italian prison film by Cesare Canevari. With Adriano Micantoni, Daniela Poggi and Maristella Greco. Banned in the UK as a Video Nasty. Banned by the BBFC for video release in 2021. Available uncut in the US but there is also a cut version. Bannable scenes include girls being dunked in quick-lime, girls fellating pistols and sodomising the commandant with the butt of a whip. Summary Review: Way Better than Expected In the tradition of THE NIGHT PORTER, SALON KITTY and SALO only far more depraved comes perhaps the most notorious Nazisploitation epic of them all: Daniela Levy  stars as a beautiful young death camp prisoner forced into a nightmare of brutality, torment and sexual degradation. But will a Commandant's vilest urge trigger her ultimate vengeance? Marc Loud co-stars in this fetid slice of filth-strudel Caligula Reincarnated as Hitler was way better than what I expected. The young blonde star of the film is gorgeous and someone both men and women would find attractive to sleep with. There are some five star sexual violence scenes that are unfortunately too brief. Beatings, whippings, gang raping of women prisoners, dipping naked women into vats of lime, hanging the young blonde star nude and upside down over a box of live rats! I mean, hey you "sicko" Nazi fans, is this something or what? There are no actual hardcore sex scenes, however, there are multiple simulated sex scenes that are quite hot to watch. Versions banned run: 96m pal: 92m UK: Banned by the BBFC for: 2021 88 Films Blu-ray The BBFC commented: THE GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY is an Italian exploitation film, from 1977, in which a Jewish woman revisits the site of a concentration camp in which she was formerly imprisoned and subjected to torture, terrorisation, humiliation and sexual violence. BBFC Guidelines state that: As a last resort, the BBFC may refuse to classify a work --.where a central concept of the work is unacceptable, such as a sustained focus on rape, other non-consensual sexually violent behaviour or sadistic violence. THE GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY is largely composed of scenes of strong sadistic violence, humiliation, degradation and non-consensual sexual activity, including rape, all of which occurs within a clearly anti-Semitic context. Its central concept is therefore unacceptable, and the sadistic and sexually abusive material it contains is too pervasive to be effectively addressed by cuts. Accordingly, the BBFC has refused classification to this work. uncut run: 95:42s pal: 91:52s US: Uncut and MPAA Unrated for: 2011 Intervision R0 DVD at US Amazon Ventura R0 DVD cut cut:   run: 94:53s pal: 91:05s US: Cut for: Exploitation Digital  R1 DVD See article from dvdcompare.net At approximately 47:00s the sight of a penis has been darkened cut cut: 10:48s run: 84:18s pal: 80:56s UK: Pre-cut for Pre-cert video release for: 1984 Videoshack VHS 1983 VFP VHS The video was released in 1983 by VFP with a missing 10:48s scene of an Aryan fantasy and a feast of human flesh. The video was re-released in 1984 by Videoshack. It was added to the DPP list of banned video nasties in March 1984 and stayed listed throughout the panic and so became one of the collectable DPP39s. The Videoshack version is particularly rare.

The Haunted Hotel The Haunted Hotel is a 2021 UK comedy drama horror romance by Jean Campbell Hogg, (segment Watching), Joshua Carver, (segment Forty Years), Adam Collier, (segment Room 27) Starring Hugh Fraser, Reece Ritchie and Rob Jarvis BBFC category cuts were required for a 12A rated cinema release in 2021. Summary Notes Eight tales of ghostly encounters through the decades, manifesting amid the ruins of a once grand English hotel. Versions advised category cuts cut: run: 95m pal: 91m UK: Passed 12A uncut with a BBFC trigger warning for moderate horror, violence, bloody images, sexual threat, suicide references: 2021 cinema release The BBFC commented: The distributor requested cuts to achieve their preferred category. Images of strong injury detail were removed in order to achieve a 12A. An uncut 18 classification was available. uncut run: 95m pal: 91m UK: Passed 18 uncut for strong injury detail: 2021 cinema release, not released in favour of a cut 12A version

Kaaval Kaaval is a 2021 India action thriller by Nithin Renji Panicker Starring Suresh Gopi, Lal and Renji Panicker There are no censorship issues with this release Versions cut: run: 147m pal: 141m UK: Passed 12A uncut with a BBFC trigger warning for moderate violence, suicide, sexual harassment references, language: 2021 cinema release The BBFC commented: The distributor chose to make cuts to violence and bloody images in order to achieve a 12A certificate. An uncut 15 was available. Cuts made in accordance with BBFC Guidelines and policy.

The Last Letter From Your Lover Last Letter From Your Lover The Last Letter From Your Lover is a 2021 UK romance by Augustine Frizzell Starring Shailene Woodley, Felicity Jones and Joe Alwyn Originally passed 15 uncut for cinema release but was later presumably cut for a 12A rated cinema release in 2021. The UK home video releases also features the cut version. Summary Notes A pair of interwoven stories, set in the past and present, follow an ambitious journalist determined to solve the mystery of a forbidden love affair at the center of a trove of secret love letters from 1965. Versions pre-cut uncut run: 109m pal: 105m UK: A pre-cut version was passed 12A uncut for infrequent strong language, moderate sex, sex references: 2021 Studio Canal video 2021 cinema release Presumably strong language has been cut uncut run: 110m pal: 106m UK: Passed 15 uncut for strong language: 2021 cinema release titled Last Letter From Your Lover

Little Crumb Little Crumb Race to the Gold Mine Kruimeltje en de Strijd om de Goudmijn Little Crumb (Little Crumb Race to the Gold Mine) is a 2020 Netherlands children's film by Diede in 't Veld Starring Viggo Neijs, Sabijn Dunnewijk and Victor Löw BBFC censor cuts were required for a PG Rated VoD release in 2021 Summary Notes Reunited with his parents, Little Crumb is having trouble getting used to his new luxurious lifestyle. When he is abducted by an old enemy, he has to use the best of his new and his old life to escape and save his parents. Versions advised category cuts cut:   run: 78m pal: 75m UK: Passed PG  for mild threat, violence after BBFC advised category cuts: 2021 Kaleidoscope VoD The BBFC commented: Cuts for publication: The distributor chose to remove a use of moderate bad language in order to receive a PG classification. A 12 uncut was available to the distributor.

Maya The Bee: The Golden Orb Maya the Bee 3: The Golden Orb Maya The Bee: The Golden Orb is a 2021 Germany / Australia animation adventure by Noel Cleary Starring Benson Jack Anthony, Frances Berry and Christian Charisiou The BBFC originally rated the film PG uncut for 2021 cinema release but the distributors preferred a cut U version. Summary Notes When Maya, a headstrong little bee, and her best friend Willi, rescue an ant princess they find themselves in the middle of an epic bug battle that will take them to strange new worlds and test their friendship to its limits. Versions advised category cuts run: 88m pal: 84m UK: A pre-cut version was passed U very mild threat, violence, rude humour: 2021 cinema release Thanks to Scott: The cuts were to remove use of 'crap', a no-no at U. uncut run: 88m pal: 84m UK: Passed PG uncut for mild bad language: 2021 cinema release not released as distributors preferred a cut U rated release

The Phantom Of The Open The Fantastic Flitcrofts The Phantom Of The Open is a 2021 UK comedy drama by Craig Roberts Starring Rhys Ifans, Sally Hawkins and Mark Rylance Exists in 2 versions. The Phantom Of The Open was cut for BBFC 12A rated cinema release in 2021.  The Fantastic Flitcrofts is uncut and BBFC 15 rated for cinema release in 2021. Summary Notes The story of golfer Maurice Flitcroft whose performance at the 1976 British Open Golf Championship made him a legend. Versions cut cut:   run: 103m pal: 99m UK: Passed 12A for infrequent strong language: 2021 cinema release titled The Phantom Of The Open Cut to reduce strong language. uncut run: 103m pal: 99m UK: Passed 15 uncut for strong language: 2021 cinema release titled The Fantastic Flitcrofts

Pushpa Pushpa: The Rise - Part 1 Pushpa is a 2021 India action adventure thriller by Sukumar Starring Allu Arjun, Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna BBFC category cuts were required for a 12A rated cinema release in 2021. Summary Notes Story of Pushpa Raj, a lorry driver in Seshachalam forests of South India, set in the backdrop of red sandalwood smuggling. Red Sandalwood is endemic to South-Eastern Ghats (mountain range) of India. Versions Category cuts cut: run: 178m pal: 171m UK: Passed 12A for moderate violence, threat, occasional bloody images, brief drug misuse after BBFC category cuts: 2021 cinema release The BBFC commented: Distributor chose to make to remove or reduce moments of violence and injury detail in order to achieve a 12A classification. An uncut 15 was available. uncut run: 178m pal: 171m UK: Passed 15 uncut for strong violence, injury detail: 2021 cinema release unreleased in favour of a cut 12A rated release

Suburbia Suburbia is a 1983 USA thriller by Penelope Spheeris. Starring Chris Pedersen and Bill Coyne and Jennifer Clay.      Animal cruelty was cut by the BBFC for 18 rated VHS in 1985 and 15 rated DVD in 2003. The BBFC uprated the certificate for the still cut Blu-ray release in 2021 over its elevated concerns about sexual assault. Uncut and MPAA R rated in the US. UK: Passed 18 for sexual assault after 10s of BBFC cuts for animal cruelty: 2021 101 Films Limited Edition (RB) Blu-ray at UK Amazon #ad released on 6th September 2021 Promotional Material 101 Films presents Penelope Spheeris' searing drama Suburbia (1983), title 021 on the 101 Films Black Label. Starring real-life punks rather than trained actors, and featuring live performances from punk bands D.I., T.S.O.L. and the Vandals, Suburbia is an authentic and compassionate study of the Los Angeles punk rock scene in the early 1980s, and a bleak indictment of the American suburban experiment. Extras include a brand new, 30-minute interview with director Penelope Spheeris. Evan and his younger brother leave their broken home in an attempt to escape their alcoholic mother. They fall in with "The Rejected" (aka T.R.), a group of punks who live as squatters in an abandoned shack by the side of the highway. With the T.R.s, the boys find a new family. But their new family will be tested when they become the target of "Citizens Against Crime," a group of unhappy suburbanites. EXTRAS: Interview with director Penelope Spheeris (NEW) Limited edition booklet: Includes Punks in Suburbia by John Towlson and Before Suburbia: Gangs on Film by Barry Forshaw Commentary with director Penelope Spheeris Commentary with director Penelope Spheeris, producer Bert Dragin and actor Jennifer Clay Still Gallery TV Spots Trailers Versions uncut run: 94m pal: 90m US: Uncut and MPAA R rated for: 2019 Shout! Factory RA Blu-ray at US Amazon 2019 Shout! Factory Amazon Prime VoD [US only] at US Amazon compulsory BBFC cuts cut: 10s run: 94:50s pal: 91:02s sub: 95:00s UK: Passed 18 for sexual assault after 10s of BBFC cuts for animal cruelty: 2021 101 Films Limited Edition (RB) Blu-ray UK: Passed 15 for moderate nudity and violence, and drug use after 10s of compulsory BBFC cuts: 2003 Prism Leisure Corp PLC video The BBFC commented: Cuts required to remove sight of dogs being tripped by wires, in accordance with BBFC Policy on animal cruelty and the provisions of the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937. compulsory BBFC cuts cut: 28s run: 94:25s pal: 90:38s UK: Passed 18 after 28s of compulsory BBFC cuts: 1986 Vestron Video International VHS

80 internet 'fact-checking' organizations have signed an open letter to YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, calling on the company to buy their services to censor 'wrong think' on YouTube. The letter reads:

YouTube is allowing its platform to be weaponized by unscrupulous actors to manipulate and exploit others, and to organize and fundraise themselves. Current measures are proving insufficient. That is why we urge you to take effective action against disinformation and misinformation, and to elaborate a roadmap of policy and product interventions to improve the information ecosystem -- and to do so with the world's independent, nonpartisan fact-checking organizations.

The spread of falsehoods on YouTube is a global problem. They range from videos encouraging unproven methods of treating COVID-19 to false allegations of electoral fraud.

The  International Fact-Checking Network is a trade group promoting 'fact checking' organisations worldwide. In its letter, IFCN outlines 'solutions' to help reduce the spread of misinformation and promote their businesses. One of them is to promote fact-checked information and provide context and debunks alongside videos.

The fact-checkers are also calling on YouTube to disclose its moderation policy regarding disinformation and misinformation, prevent its algorithms from promoting content creators who repeatedly produce false information and strengthen its efforts to fight misinformation in languages other than English.

The German government are considering banning the encrypted Telegram messaging app that has been used by conservative groups and groups opposing Covid restrictions.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that Telegram could be banned if it continues being used by groups opposing Covid measures to organize. She told Die Zeit weekly:

We cannot rule this out. A shutdown would be grave and clearly a last resort. All other options must be exhausted first.

Faeser said that Germany was discussing with other European Union Members how to regulate Telegram, noting:

As a German nation-state, we cannot do it alone.

Telegram is a messaging app with social media-like features. Through groups and channels with an unlimited number of members and subscribers, messages, news, and other information can be shared among like-minded people. The private messages can be protected from snooping through end-to-end-encryption, although this is not the default.

The legal basis of the statistics service Google Analytics is proving shaky across the EU. The Austrian data protection censor has determined that the use of Google Analytics' on websites in the European Union is not compatible with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Now the Dutch Authority for Personal Data (AP) has warned: Please note: The use Google Analytics' may soon be banned.

Google Analytics is a free service providing websites with detailed information about usage such as key information about how many users a site has and which pages they are reading. The websites allow Google to place cookies on their behalf that allow Google to track websites visits. It is that tracking that may transgress GDPR rules and note that it also one of the reasons for those silly cookie consent pop-ups that merely serve to train web users to mindlessly click on any pop-up that impedes their viewing.

The Dutch data protection censor has updated its Google Analytics privacy-friendly setup guide and has announced that it is investigating two complaints about the use of Google Analytics in the Netherlands.  The AP would like to conclude this investigation in the near future, namely early 2022. Then itwill be able to say whether Google Analytics is allowed or not.

Meanwhile Germany and Austrian data protection censors are also wrestling with a related case. A complaint about data usage by an Austrian website spilled over to Germany when the website withced to Germany. The censors are now debating both the data complaint and the jurisdiction issues.

The Parents Television and Media Council (PTC) is warning parents about the new season of HBO's Euphoria, to be released on January 9, as it may contain content that is harmful to children. Media outlets have reported that the second season promises to be darker than the first season. PTC President Tim Winter said:

When the dark, depraved, degenerate and nihilistic program Euphoria first premiered, its creator, Sam Levinson, proudly proclaimed that there are going to be parents who are going to be totally fucking freaked out. His omen was correct, and unsurprisingly so because Euphoria centers on the lives of high school children, and features a Disney Channel starlet as the lead actress. Given the explicit content in the program's first season, we are issuing our strongest warning to parents about the premiere of the new season and its imminent threat to the health and well-being of children.

Just how explicit is this show? Content from just the first two episodes included the full-frontal nudity of more than 30 high-school-aged boys; an adult male putting a condom on his erect penis as he prepares to engage in anal sex with a teenager; the main female character -- a high school teenager -- offering to perform oral sex on an adult male; and more than 80 uses of the 'f-word,' as well as other obscenities.

The show frequently depicts characters, both teens and adults, engaged in sex, some scenes of which depict statutory rape; and it normalizes pornography and promotes underage drinking, smoking, drug use, among other dangerous behavior. AT&T/HBO have arrogantly claimed they have 'creative freedom' to show sexual violence involving children. And while Euphoria is rated TV-MA, suggesting it is intended only for mature audiences, the program has been marketed directly to children via social media, including instructions on how to view it on the HBO streaming app for free.

We urgently call on parents to take swift measures to protect their children from this extremely explicit program. And we implore AT&T/HBO to put a halt to Euphoria and other content that not only sexualizes children, but that sexually-exploits them, Winter said.

Rajan Zed is a perennial whinger who complains about hindu imagery being used outside of a religious context.

He has taken offence at the ballet La Bayadère for its irreverent treatment of religion in general and hinduism in particular.

The ballet seems to be on world tour with Zed whingeing at each venue that stages it. Zed spoke of performances by the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet claiming that:

This deeply problematic ballet was just a blatant belittling of a rich civilization and exhibited 19th-century orientalist attitudes.

Zed further said that Norwegian National Ballet should have shown some maturity before selecting a ballet like La Bayadère (The Temple Dancer) displaying Western caricaturing of Eastern heritage and abetting ethnic stereotyping. He added:

It was highly irresponsible for Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, whose strategy stated204We will create and present operas and ballets which make an impact; to choose such a ballet which had been blamed for patronizing flawed mishmash of orientalist stereotypes, dehumanizing cultural portrayal and misrepresentation, offensive and degrading elements, needless appropriation of cultural motifs, essentialism, shallow exoticism, caricaturing, etc. Norwegian National Opera & Ballet could do better than this to serve its diverse stakeholders.

The Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality and its Minister Anette Trettebergstuen should also take its areas of responsibility204culture, equality and discrimination204more seriously, and have better understanding of the feelings of others to do the job more effectively.

Now Norwegian National Opera & Ballet has refused to cancel its production and Zed is not happy:

We plan to appeal to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre as it is simply unfair, unethical and inappropriate to spend taxpayer's money on caricaturing other culture.

Blood Of The Vampire is a 1958 UK Sci-Fi horror by Henry Cass
Starring Donald Wolfit, Vincent Ball and Barbara Shelley

Cut by the BBFC for X rated cinema release in 1958. Later this cut cinema version was PG rated for 2005 DVD. A restored and uncut version was BBFC 12 rated for 2021 Blu-ray. French releases include most of the cut material.

Summary Notes

In 1870s Transylvania, scientist Dr. Callistratus is put to death by villagers who wrongly believe he's a vampire.

Versions

uncut run: 88m pal: 84m		UK: A restored and uncut version/Continental Version was passed 12 for moderate violence, bloody images, sexual threat: 2021 Nucleus Films RB Blu-ray released on 14th March 2022 Nucleus promotional material states: Newly Restored 1.66:1 Transfer of the Original Uncensored Version from Original Vault Materials The release also includes a disk extra about the original 1958 BBFC cuts. Thanks to Tim. The Italian and French DVDs were both almost uncut and it is looks as if Nucleus will either be using one of those or hopefully a fully uncut version.
cut	France	See further European  cuts details from dvdcompare.net The 2013 R2 France is *almost* the full uncut version, bar one shot, which restores an additional shot of the housekeeper being experimented on and Carl the hunchback dribbling blood as he dies. The screams of Callistratus as he dies during a dog attack are far clearer on the French (but not English) audio track included.
cut	US	US: The U.S Dark Sky DVD may be created from a different print as the tube insertion scene is completely intact, The shot is about 5s longer and there is an image of the blood draining into a flask. Other BBFC cinema cuts also apply to the US version.
cut cut:   run: 85:28s pal: 82:03s		UK: The cut cinema version was passed PG uncut for mild violence: 2005 DD Home Entertainment video UK: Passed X (16) uncut: 1958 cinema release From IMDB and cuts details from dvdcompare.net . The BBFC made cuts to 9 scenes: edits to the opening staking edits to shots of dismembered body parts in the laboratory and edits to a scene where a tube is inserted into a man's neck to drain blood. the infamous dungeon scene, showing potential female victims chained to a wall, was completely removed. In the dungeon scene, in which the housekeeper (Barbara Burke) is being prepared for one of Callistratus' experiments. Carl (Victor Maddern) straps the unconscious housekeeper down onto a table. Callistratus (Sir Donald Wolfit) then steps up, ready to experiment . In the DD Home Entertainment release, the scene ends at this point. The Viewing Notes describe that in the Continental version the scene continues with Barbara Burke being threatened with a knife (in the British/American edit, she is unconscious) while two other female victims look on (they do not appear in the British/American edit).

France is being very aggressive over enforcing the silly EU cookie law that nags and trains internet users to blindly click on website popups.

By announcing fines of euro 150 million for Google and euro 60 million for Facebook, the French privacy watchdog CNIL went much further than other EU data protection censors have gone to rein in the trackers, which allow advertisers to target people with tailored ads as they move around the internet.

Under the e-Privacy Directive, the CNIL is free to take direct action against companies that otherwise would be overseen by the Irish Data Protection Commission, because the GDPR gives prime enforcement power to the country where the company is legally established. Many tech companies have their EU bases in Dublin.

The French data protection censor has so far zoned in on two key violations: failing to allow users to refuse cookies as easily as it is to accept them, and automatically placing cookies on people's devices before they even have a chance to accept or refuse them. These are widespread violations across the web, but so far only the CNIL seems serious about tackling them.

Emily in Paris is a 2020 US/France comedy romance by Darren Star
Starring Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu and Ashley Park

Emily, an ambitious twenty-something marketing executive from Chicago, unexpectedly lands her dream job in Paris when her company acquires a French luxury marketing company - and she is tasked with revamping their social media strategy. Emily's new life in Paris is filled with intoxicating adventures and surprising challenges as she juggles winning over her work colleagues, making friends, and navigating new romances.

Ukraine's minister of culture has been watching Netflix series Emily in Paris -- and he's not happy. Oleksandr Tkachenko shared his frustration about what he considers offensive in the way in which Petra, a Ukrainian character, is portrayed in season 2 of the show.

Tkachenko described Petra, played by Daria Panchenko, as a "caricature." Petra makes a bad impression on Emily when she unapologetically steals clothes from a local mall and encourages her to do the same, before sprinting off onto the streets of Paris.

'Unacceptable' and offensive Tkachenko condemned the storyline. In 'Emily in Paris' we have a caricature of a Ukrainian woman, which is unacceptable. On the other hand, it is also offensive. Will Ukrainians be seen as such abroad? Who steal, want to get everything for free, be afraid of deportation? That should not be the case, he wrote in a post on his official Telegram channel.