Man fined in Hong Kong in landmark internet porn case

dpa German Press Agency Published: Friday May 11, 2007

Hong Kong- A man has been fined 5,000 Hong Kong dollars
(640 US dollars) for incorporating a pornographic link in an internet
message in the first case of its kind in Hong Kong, a media report
said Friday.
Woo Tai-wai, 48, pleaded guilty to publishing eight obscene
photographs via a local internet forum in the first prosecution
related to internet porn sites under the city's obscene and indecent
articles laws, the South China Morning Post reported.

A court in the Kwun Tong district of the city heard that Woo
provided a hyperlinked message on the forum which, when clicked,
would enable other forum users to access an overseas pornographic
website showing the photos.

But Internet Society chairman Charles Mok Nai-kwong said the court
case raised several concerns. "In this case, the court has given a
new direction to the public concerning the responsibility of internet
users," he said.

Mok added that he also believed the case could damage the freedom
of information on the internet. "This man posted a link on the
internet which now becomes an act that constitutes the breaking of
law, and my question is whether a link is being regarded as the
'obscene article,'" he said.

Search engines, including Yahoo and Google, carry links to porn
sites, he added.

"In cases where search engines list out all the links to
pornographic websites, is it justifiable to ask whether these would
have to undergo censorship as they also provide these hyperlinks to
obscene articles?" he asked.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency

Comment Here