News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:All major UK ISPs prepping network-level porn 'n' violenc... by retube on Friday June 07, 2013 @07:43AM (#5838331)
Well you're just arguing semantics. Just because HTTP is a 1-to-1 connection doesn't mean web content is not "broadcast". It's there for anyone that wants to view it, so functionally it is exactly the same as traditional broadcast media - it's just the mechanics of delivery which are different.
Re:All major UK ISPs prepping network-level porn 'n' violenc... by anExcitedBeast on Friday June 07, 2013 @05:37PM (#5842117)
A broadcast, by definition, is a data transmission initiated by the broadcaster to a number of recipients. HTTP doesn't fit this definition in any way, shape, or form. Every transaction is initiated by a request from you, the client. Right now radio waves are being forced through you and your computer by radio and television towers. Those are broadcasts. Hacker News is not. You made a specific request for the content of news.ycombinator.com. If you do not specifically ask for all this violent pornography you seem so concerned about, it simply can not find its way to your computer. Know why? Because it's not being broadcasted.

Beyond the "semantics" (your dismissal of which indicates you don't hold much regard for the rule of law), you are sorely mistaken if you think state censorship will be used exclusively to guard our fragile, sexually frustrated youth from gangbang clips. This is how a marketplace of ideas becomes a menu of state approved thought.