Mandatory Filtering in Europe?

Susan Crawford (an esteemed professor and ICANN board member) isn't one to toss around rumors lightly. In an interesting ISP-level filtering round-up, she mentions that China is having second thoughts about the breadth of its Great Firewall and that the US is creating a "Voice of America" for software that would enable "widespread ... Internet use where the Internet is now censored."

But, juicily, she also says: "There are strong rumors that a concerted effort is underway in the EU to mandate ISP filtering for (at the least) copyright issues and indecent material."

Already, France has taken a lead in developing legislation that would mandate ISP-level filtering for copyrighted material on P2P networks. And, the international version of the RIAA (IFPI), hopes that the French effort is extended to other countries. However, a European Parliament amendment that would create filtering rules failed in January.

France is one thing. (So is Australia). Copyright rules are another. Copyright AND "indecency" mandates across the EU are more than exponentially quite another and would blast open a Pandora's Box. Boom.