WTO May Challenge Internet Censorship

GENEVA — Reuters is reporting that the World Trade Organization (WTO) is set to release a study claiming that censorship of the Internet is open to challenge by the global regulatory body due to its restrictions on trade.

While such a challenge may present issues over sovereignty as member states are able to cite morality as valid grounds for restricting trade, such as barring access to child pornography websites or other culturally offensive materials, the WTO may put limits on censorship and require countries to use selective filtering.

The study was compiled by the European Center for International Political Economy (ECIPE), which according to the group is "an independent and non-profit policy research think tank dedicated to trade policy and other international economic policy issues of importance to Europe."

"Censorship is the most important non-tariff barrier to the provision of online services, and a case might clarify the circumstances in which different forms of censorship are WTO-consistent," said the study's authors, Brian Hindley and Hosuk Lee-Makiyama. "Many WTO member states are legally obliged to permit an unrestricted supply of cross-border Internet services."

According to the report, the Internet has been censored by many countries for both moral and political reasons and this can negatively impact businesses. While the WTO allows member states to take these measures, they must be targeted and not disproportionately interfere with international trade.

"There is a good chance that a panel might rule that permanent blocks on search engines, photo-sharing applications and other services are inconsistent with (WTO services) provisions, even given morals and security exceptions," the report concluded.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Fetisfy Online Fetish Marketplace Launches

Fetisfy.com, an online marketplace for users to sell fetish items, has launched.

Pineapple Support Launches 'Spill the Tea, Colombia' Community Support Event Series

Pineapple Support has launched "Spill the Tea, Colombia," a monthly, in-person community support event for adult industry professionals.

Streamster Launches 'Tip2Peep' Camera-Switching Feature

Live-streaming software provider Streamster has launched Tip2Peep, a new feature that allows viewers to switch between multiple webcam viewing angles by tipping the creator.

Tyler Wu Guests on Chaturbate's 'Sex Tales' Podcast

Tyler Wu is the latest guest on Chaturbate’s “Sex Tales” podcast, hosted by Melissa Stratton and Vanniall on the company’s “Camming Life” YouTube channel.

Fleshy to Launch Interactive Cam Site 'Eromote'

Male pleasure brand Fleshy has announced that it will launch an interactive, bidirectional cam site next month called Eromote.

XBIZ LA Show Introduces New 'Crib Crawl' Feature

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the 2025 edition of its flagship conference, the XBIZ Show, will debut a brand-new feature: Crib Crawl, offering attendees the chance to meet and greet representatives from leading brands and organizations in dedicated suites at the host venue.

Pre-Nominations Now Open for 2025 TEAs

The pre-nomination period for the 2025 Trans Erotica Awards (TEAs) is now open.

Byborg Invests $22.35M in PLBY Group

Luxembourg-based Byborg Enterprises SA is investing $22.35 million in Playboy parent company PLBY Group.

Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments on Texas AV Law in January

The United States Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for Free Speech Coalition's challenge to Texas’ age verification law to take place Wednesday, Jan. 15.

2025 XBIZ Exec Awards Nominees for Online Industry Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the nominees for the online industry edition of the 2025 XBIZ Exec Awards, set to be presented as part of the annual XBIZ Honors ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 15 in conjunction with the XBIZ 2025 conference.

Show More