Internet Drugs and the FDA

The FDA is currently trying to combat the newly growing threat of internet drugs. Not the kinds of drugs one would normally think of such as weed, crack, or other illegal substances but trying to fight legally how people obtain their legal perscriptions.

Recently many consumers who had purchased things such as sleeping aids, antidepressants, and some over-the-counter type drugs were instead shipped a very power antipsychotic that landed many into the emergency room in hospitals. The schizophrenia drug, haloperidol, was coming from highly commercial websites that were fairly well known but they were not from the USA. The majority of the packages that had the drug had greek postage stamps.

Right now the Food and Drag Administration can only investigate for suspects and try to list websites that should not be trusted on their FDA website, but apart from that little in legal action can be taken against the sites to assure no one else falls for their snare. Another pitfall it seems to the world of the internet versus legality.

Childpornography Needs Worldwide Intervention?

In a news report made February 7th, the New York Times stated that a worldwide hunt is being prompted against childpornography. The use of the internet has made all forms of media, knowledge, and entertainment more accessible to individuals across the globe, and has also made those who break the law equally widespread and much more elusive. So it was decided that without a worldwide force striving to counter one of the internet's greatest legal issues, childpornography, it would be impossible to make those guilty of the crimes associated with those acts, to be held accountable.

Currently there have been no arrests made but 2360 indviduals linked to a specific russian website could be targeted. The problem that comes with any international change is the laws that change within each nation in regards to the topic. Many countries deal with childpornography differently. About 95 countries have no laws at all in regards to child pornography according to this article and so to impose laws from others upon them about the topic would be near to impossible or at least very drawn out.

The next problem is the availability of places to put child pornography. Putting your server in a different country if a website is shut down easily allows you to start another and would create much legal issues as to how to prosecute you if you would get caught if your site was in another country than your own, whose laws would be the one to be followed. Once more the internet proves to be more shades of gray than black and white.

Viacom vs. YouTube

The internet makes it easier and easier for the general populace to get its hands on a wide variety of materials. Whether it be music, movies, pictures, or any other manner of information or entertainment the internet makes it freely available to those who know where to get it. Yet, this also opens the doors to more legal troubles for those who copyright their materials and want only their company to display its property.

YouTube, one of the most popular streaming sites out there is indeed facing a similar problem with giant Viacom which owns both MTV and Comedy Central and is now demanding that it remove their programming from its site, though all is user posted YouTube is being held accountable for it in Viacom's eyes.

YouTube was bought by Google and it is working hard to make the law and internet two forces that do not conflict with one another when it comes to forms of entertainment that the population has access to.

Where these lines will be drawn is still being debated. Personally I feel that once it's shown it should be able to be freely shown or heard anywhere. The company already made its money, why not let it be circulated in other ways. People still buy, watch, sell their product so what are they losing out on?