Swearing Ban Eyed In Russia, For The Kids
Swearing ban efforts are being considered in Russia, according to a recent report from Pravda.ru.
The website noted that State Duma Deputy Yelena Mizulina has plans to make further amendments to the law, entitled “On the Protection of Children.”
Mizulina serves as the chairwoman on the Committee on Family, Women and Children, and it is her intention to punish people for using dirty language online, particularly for social networks.
Any posts and messages that might contain profanity would have to be blocked in 24 hours or less.
According to Mizulina, this would apply to social networks, websites, and various forums — pretty much the entire Internet. Mizulina does not want children to see bad language as the norm.
The initial law was passed on September 1, 2012, introducing a register of banned sites. Concerts, books, television shows, and other information “is now marked with special marks limiting the age of the audience,” the Pravda.ru report stated.
United Russia deputy Vitaly Milonov is for Mizulina’s efforts, and just a few days ago, introduced a proposal to tighten control over social networks. One interesting item from those efforts: people, who use dating sites would have to access them through passports.
Associate Professor Sergei Smirnov, chairman to the Moscow Regional Bar Association, had this to say with regard to the Mizulina proposal: “I have not seen anything like this in our laws. Foul language is obscene vocabulary, which is not common to use in communication and in business relations. When people express their thoughts or emotions with the use of profanity, many are offended by it. Obscene lexicon is equated to disorderly conduct, there is an appropriate article in the Code of Administrative Offences.”
Smirnov added that more children and students use the Internet, and so “it’s time to initiate and adopt such amendments.”
Smirnov continued: “Obscene language offends both children and adults. A ban on its use is not an infringement of human rights. This is a direction towards a civilized lifestyle. If we do not use foul language in real life, then why do we use it on the Internet? Deputy Mizulina calls to protect vulnerable layers of the population — particularly children. I think that this initiative should be supported.”
It’s easy to pick on Russia over the proposed swearing ban, but living in a post-NSA PRISM America, we probably shouldn’t throw stones. And if you think it’s just the US government misbehaving itself, well, there’s also this.
Do you think a swearing ban is a good idea?
[Image via ShutterStock]
