MPs want a watershed for YouTube

I can hardly believe how idiotic our government can be at times. The latest report designed to prove how little politicians understand technology is the proposal from the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee that video-hosting Web sites restrict content based on the time of day, just like TV companies do with broadcast content.

Yes, that's right, the clunky old TV 'watershed' that exists to protect children from violent or sexually explicit material before 9pm should be brought to the Internet. The brainiacs in charge of our great nation seem to be ignoring the fact that the Internet is a global entity and that you can't regulate it in your own country, and certainly not in someone else's. And the most obvious thought-fail of all: how do you make an American Web site obey British time zones?

I've said this before, and I'll say it again. If your children are looking at video online without supervision and are finding material that you would deem unsuitable, then you're failing as a parent. You might think that sounds ludicrous coming from someone who has no children. But when I was young my parents managed to stop me from watching TV or videos that weren't suitable. I didn't have a TV in my bedroom growing up, and if I was growing up now, I'm damn sure I wouldn't have Internet access in my bedroom.

Additionally, MPs proposed that an organisation should be created to "police Web sites, adjudicate on complaints and could help crack down on piracy and illegal file-sharing in Britain". I propose call them The Interrozzas, give them 9mm weapons and let them shoot anyone who dares to enjoy copyrighted material on YouTube or anyone looking at porn before 9pm. Seriously, the next law will be total government monitoring of your Web traffic.