A New Zealand man, who ignored a gag order last year ordering that his website be taken down, is facing the possibility of Indefinite Imprisonment until he follows the court’s order. A look at more of the facts, as well as the website in question makes it pretty clear that this could never happen in America–his speech is clearly political and thus receives the highest protection (sounds like Near v. Minnesota to me). I’m no expert, but there’s even a “freedom of expression” clause in the New Zealand Constitution. It’s amazing this could happen in a “parliamentary representative democratic monarchy.”
About John
John is a PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin - Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He studies the social impact of media technology law and policy, with a special emphasis on copyright. He also is an instructional technology consultant for DoIT-Academic Technology.
John doesn't update his blog often, and many of the thoughts are probably half-baked. While the web has sort of an eternal memory, the current and future reader is urged not to take all of this too seriously.
Think of this blog as "John thinking out loud."
(For more on this idea and why I blog, please see this category.)
