I'm barely aware of the Internet Watch Foundation. I guess this applies to many people, but now with its banning of a page on Wikipedia and a potential ban on Amazon we've all heard of it.Have you seen the image o the cover of the Scorpions' 1976 album 'Virgin Killer'? When I first looked at it, and before I knew what it was or where it was from, I thought wow that looks exactly like some 70s art house picture.I didn't actually know it was from the 1970s and has been in the public domain for errr thirty plus years. The image is at the end of this post - so if you are easily offended stop right here.
It's been in books, libraries and on the internet for years until December 2008 when someone complained to the IWF, which then blocked the image and in the process stopped people accessing Wiki articles.The IWF in some ludicrous power grab has also been talking about blocking Amazon from UK users as well as the online retailer sells the album. I can't get hold of anyone at the IWF, but the Amazon story is being reported in various places. Maybe they are out looking for online copies of Lolita (that film poster on Wiki is a bit racy) after some helpful member of the public pointed out that you can access this book online. I exaggerate. At least I think I do. We can debate this, but apparently not the IWF which although is a non-governmental EU funded-body (something the EU does that the Daily Mail can support? Can't be good) has massive power to affect 95% of UK internet users.I'm not even sure who they are having looked at the IWF website. It describes itself as "the UK's internet 'hotline' for the public and IT professionals to report potentially illegal online content within our remit". I'm not sure what its remit is either. It seems to be all pervading. It says it works in "partnership with the online industry, law enforcement, government, the education sector, charities, international partners and the public to minimise the availability of this content, specifically, child sexual abuse content hosted anywhere in the world and criminally obscene and incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK".I'm not sure what an arty album cover of an admittedly naked girl has got to do with this as clearly it does not relate to child sexual abuse or what this has got to do with Amazon, which sells CDs and DVDs and last I checked in is not in the kids porn business.That it can even consider such a move without any kind of consultation suggests to me we have a serious problem with over zealous censors that needs to be tackled tout suite.I haven't done my Christmas shopping yet and I plan to use Amazon. I will not be buying any German metal (even though the offending cover has been replaced with a picture of the hairy rockers themselves).What is most concerning about this issue is that an apparent piece of art has sparked such a unilateral response suggesting a complete lack of judgement on the part of the IWF.This organisation needs to be reined in quickly before it does any serious harm.
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Well - if you add the image to the album name.... it's a bit much! Having said that, I bought the album - in WH Smiths probably in about 1977. It was just another crazy album cover - like the Roxy Music ones. The song by the way - isn't about killing virgins. It's about Time being a killer. Fact is the IWF doesn't "represent" anything and so should have no jurisdiction.
Gordon Macmillan
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Last login: 07 Nov 2009
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