Activists yesterday urged the Government Information Office (GIO) to put on hold the new Measures Governing the Rating Systems of Publications and Pre-recorded Video Programs (
"This is an obscure ratings system, the goal of which we believe is to censor publications. We hope the GIO will delay enforcement of this regulation until public hearings, which include teenagers, have been held," said Wu Ming-hsuan (吳銘軒), a spokesperson for Reset, an online commentary magazine.
The Anti-Censorship Alliance said the new measures violate the rights of adult and teenage readers, writers, publishers, distributors, bookstores and book rental stores.
The regulation requires publishers or stores to label restricted publications.
"Since the regulation came into effect [on Dec. 1], what has been happening is that publishers and book rental stores rate all publications that touch upon the topic of homosexuality "R," no matter what the precise contents might be," said Wu Hsu-liang (
Wu said that although not required by the regulation to do so, publishers and book rental stores were doing this out of concern that they would be fined.
Wu Ming-hsuan said that keeping publications featuring sexually-themed material away from teenagers would delay their understanding of sexuality.
"I think the age of 18 is a little late for an individual to be enlightened about sexuality and sexual desire," he said.
The alliance, along with academics and shopowners, will present a petition at the GIO tomorrow to highlight its cause.
"If this ratings system is to be strictly enforced, then popular comic books such as Doraemon and Crayon Shinchan ought to be rated `R' too," Wu said.
Violators are subjected to heavy fines of NT$100,000 to NT$500,000, according to the Children and Juveniles Welfare Law (
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
RSS