The Levi-Prodi law and the end of the Internet

Beppe Grillo

Ricardo Franco Levi, Prodi’s right hand man , undersecretary to the President of the Council, has written the text to put a stopper in the mouth of the Internet. The draft law
was approved by the Council of Ministers on 12 October. No Minister dissociated themselves from it. On gagging information, very quietly, these are all in agreement.

The Levi-Prodi law lays out that anyone with a blog or a website has to register it with the ROC, a register of the Communications Authority, produce certificates, pay a tax, even if they provide information without any intention to make money.

Blogs are being born every second, anyone can start one without a problem and they can write their thoughts, publish photos and videos.

In fact, the route proposed by Levi limits access to the Internet.

What young person is going to submit to all these hoops to do a blog?

The Levi-Prodi law obliges anyone who has a website or a blog to get a publishing company and to have a journalist who is on the register of professionals as the responsible director.

99% would close down.

The lucky 1% still surviving on the Internet according to the Levi-Prodi law would have to respond in the case of the lack of control on defamatory content in accordance with articles 57 and 57 bis of the penal code. Basically almost sure to be in prison.

The draft Levi-Prodi law has to be approved by Parliament. When Levi was asked what would happen to Beppe Grillo’s blog, he replied with perfect Prodian-bottom-protecting words: “It’s not up to he government to establish that. It’ll be for the Communications Authority to indicate with regulations, which people and which companies will have to register. And the regulations will arrive only after the law has been discussed and approved by the Lower House.”

Prodi and Levi take cover behind Parliament and the Beppe Grillo Communications Authority, but it’s them, and the Ministers who were present at the Council of Ministers who are responsible.

If the law gets passed, it’ll be the end of the Internet in Italy.

My blog won’t close. If I have to, I’ll transfer lock stock, barrel and server to a democratic State.

PS. Anyone wishing to express their opinion to Ricardo Franco Levi can send an email to: levi_r@camera.it

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bad news indeed.

this could set a nasty precedent.

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"Money" has no value - people do.

qrswave | Fri, 2007-10-26 03:35

Anytime a law like this is proposed, it appears that some piece of ZioNAZI filth is behind it. Now it appears that Levi is attempting to quell the furore over this incredibly flawed proposition by a smoke and mirrors or slight of hand technique. As Beppe Grillo comments in a later blog entry...

The energetic old Levi isn’t giving up. He has in fact modified article 7 of the Levi-Prodi with an additional point instead of deleting the article. Here’s the extra bit:
”Excluded from the obligation to register with ROC are those who use the Internet or who operate on the Internet in forms and with products, like personal websites or websites for collective use that are not for an entrepreneurial work organisation.”
What is meant by entrepreneurial work organisation? Those who offer publicity on their site, like for example Google AdSense, do they fall in this category? Those who sell a product online, are they work entrepreneurs?
Levi delete this flipping article 7 and we’ll say no more about it. That’s enough of being taken for a ride.
The world is laughing at us. The Times, in an article called “A geriatric assault on Italy's bloggers” defines us as: “a nation of octogenarian lawmakers elected by 70-year-old pensioners”.

Sullivan | Fri, 2007-10-26 14:05

Guantanamo Bay I mean...these idiots should be stoned when they leave their homes. Thats up to Italians to confront these morons...they can take your liberties if you allowed them to...who the hell they think they are...being minister does not make you boolet proof...I think time has come when no government serves its real purpose and they all should be sacked and abolished...

"Let there be Light!"

Traveller | Fri, 2007-10-26 14:32

unclesam wakeup

How much “MONEY” exists on Earth?
Take a WILD guess!

US Gross National Debt

Just Foreign Policy Iraqi Death Estimator