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Does Virtual Aggression “Trivialise” Aggression?

May 18th, 2012 by Azarius

Kickstarter, a website that enables crowdsourcing of funding for projects, recently removed funding for a game called “Tentacle Bento” following outrage at the game’s content [1], despite its relative popularity (it exceeded its funding target). The company did not explicitly justify this decision, but it might be speculated that it could be linked to its Guidelines [2]. This is highly reminiscent of the debate that surrounded the withdrawal of the game “RapeLay” from Amazon UK, a few years ago [3]. In the latter, a man graphically assaults and tortures two characters that look like imaginary girls and one that looks like an imaginary woman. In the former, alien monsters with tentacle-like appendages very implicitly sexually assault imaginary characters that bear some resemblance to teenage girls [4], the whole matter being drawn in a cutesy manga style with pastel colours, without any explicit graphic content. In both cases, it is extremely doubtful that the game intends to “promote” actual rape.

Topics such as rape, child abuse and manslaughter are nigh universally considered highly sensitive. Actual rape, child abuse or manslaughter is unambiguously considered immoral and criminal in all vaguely developed societies. There is not the slightest doubt in our minds that this state of affairs is justified.

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On Morally Objectionable Fiction, Japan and the Law

May 12th, 2012 by Azarius

A few years ago, Japan took to reviewing its laws in regard to child pornography. As concerned members of the international community who have been made aware of Japan’s lax restrictions in that field of law enforcement, we were initially pleased to hear that progress is being made where it is unquestionably necessary. However, upon discovering that the criminalization of fictional material is presently under consideration for new legislature, we began to fear for Japan’s public image as a nation once standing among peers in liberty and justice, now poised to deprive its people of their most fundamental of human liberties, of which we may be historically reminded of in The Potsdam Declaration:

“Freedom of speech, of religion, and of thought, as well as respect for the fundamental human rights…” (Section 10)

The idea that production, distribution (to adults) or possession of a work entirely comprised of fiction (written, spoken, drawn, etc.), could be a prosecutable offense is a clear violation of human rights as well as freedom of both speech and thought. We of the international community cannot help but be reminded of other countries who have violated their citizens’ freedom of speech [1], when a country such as Japan is threatening to join their ranks.

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A Brief History of Western Obscenity Law

August 29th, 2011 by Azarius

In economically developed social-democracies, the greatest part of contemporary debates over free speech and censorship revolve around three broad areas: intellectual property, defamation and obscenity. The current opinionated article will focus on obscenity law as a menace to free speech. To better understand this state of affairs, it is required that we examine the relatively short but complex history of obscenity as a legal concept. This history of the concept will focus on two countries: the United Kingdom, birthplace of obscenity law, and the United States, rife with unique legal circumstances which have come about from many controversial precedent-setting cases.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. What is provided here is intended for casual informational purposes only.

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Further Down the Road of Social Insanity

August 20th, 2011 by Azarius

Amidst recent developments in obscenity law, yestofreedom‘s sense of purpose was rekindled. During the past year, not only have proponents of stricter obscenity laws remained very active, they have made several significant political and legal gains. Far from rejecting the shoddy and ultimately useless legal framework upon which obscenity laws are built, a number of otherwise “developed” countries have taken a step further towards the criminalization of purely fictional material that is found to be “offensive” to some.

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No, We’re Not Dead

October 3rd, 2010 by Azarius

Contrary to what this website looks like, we are not dead. Not yet. We just lack motivation. And active members. 4, 5 or even 6½ busy people cannot realistically sustain a community on the Internet. Unless it’s more family-like, like our IRC channel which is quite very alive still. But said channel has little to do with campaigning to protect free speech. Oh, it’s still radically freedom-loving at its core.

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Censorship: A Socio-Cultural Analysis

March 29th, 2010 by Ikigami and Azarius

Throughout the history of mankind, there have been times and places in which censorship of fiction thrived and others in which it was next to non-existent. This is the result of the socio-cultural context, itself the consequence of historical events and processes. Censorship is not only a form of expression control, but of thought control as well. The censorship of ideas, texts and depictions considered dangerous to the ruling class is the most classic reason for censorship, along with forms of expression that go against established dogma (see Galileo, 1633) such as religion. For instance, Socrates was executed on charges that he corrupted the youth and that he did not acknowledge the gods that the city did but other new divinities of his own. His own pupil Plato supported in his work (Republic) that any art that could corrupt the morality of the nation should be censored. In 440 BC a law was introduced that would impeach or exile “those who denied the Gods or taught about celestial phenomena”.

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Why We Moderate Comments

February 24th, 2010 by Azarius

Along with the increasing amount of comments we receive, we also get an ever increasing number of comments that are never published on the site and are rather promptly deleted. In other words, Yes to Freedom does “censor” certain comments from an internal point of view. As we are an organisation that claims to fight for absolute freedom of speech, explaining the reasons behind such moderation is becoming pressing.

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Fictional Freedom: a Legal Perspective, Part 1

February 20th, 2010 by Azarius

A newly active member of yestofreedom and law student, Immigrant88 wrote with the collaboration of myself and other members of the organisation a lengthy article explaining from a legal perspective the flaws of laws censoring “prurient fiction”. More precisely, it uses Professor Lon L. Fuller’s conception of natural law as basis of its arguments.

You can view it below, as well as download it here.

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Website’s Database Wrecked by Online Attack

January 25th, 2010 by Azarius

This weekend, http://yestofreedom.org was hit by an attack of unprecedented scale, originating from an unknown source. We are not in the position to blame anyone or any organisation, but would like to remind users that someone, whether intentionally or not, is probably breaking the law to stop us.

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Misunderstanding and Moral Panic: A True Story

January 10th, 2010 by Azarius

Very human is the fear of what is not understood. Those who openly engage in unconventional conduct are bound to fight for mere tolerance – regardless of the impact, or absence thereof, of said behaviour.

The current climate of utter misunderstanding, and incidentally of moral panic, that surrounds modern Japanese visual culture is illustrated in outstanding detail in the following story that has been sent to yestofreedom by email. As the writer has expressed his desire to remain anonymous, we will refer to him as “John Smith”. The text was furthermore edited with the writer’s permission to improve legibility.

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