Confusion on mobile content

The Australian government is trying to create a regulatory framework for mobile content, mainly to keep inappropriate content away from children – a worthy goal. However, they’ve lost the confidence of the industry by – in a rather typical fashion – giving three different organizations (Australian Broadcasting Association, the Australian Communications Authority and the Department of Communication, Information Technology and the Arts) jurisdiction over the area and not creating any clear guidelines over who is supposed to police what. The Internet Industry Association has also been drawn into the process after being asked to come up with an industry code. “It would be bizarre to have an industry code registered by one regulatory body with clear jurisdiction sitting side by side rules that have been developed by a regulator on an identical issue.”

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