German Internet Providers forced to block abroad Nazi Sites

The district administration of Düsseldorf handed a list with two Nazi websites to different German Internet access providers with the request to block those sites. Access providers are providers who just offer a Internet access to their users. Some providers took this to court. Last Tuesday, June 14th, Düsseldorf administrative court decided (ref-no 27 K 5968/02) that Internet providers can be forced to block Nazi sites. The decision is based on public treaties on media and protection of minors. On both sites prosecution and murder of Jews is played down and symbols of anti-constitutional organizations (e.g. swastikas) are used.

Read the court's press release here (in German) or a Babelfish translation.

I am personally to too convinced that such restrictions have to much success. Nazis will still get there informations and ideologies. And who seriously believes that some teenie becomes a Nazis just because he saw a swastika on a web page? On the other hand I found it sometimes quite interesting to see what Nazis in the US actually think and do.