Police say 2channel ignoring requests to remove objectionable posts

So, the punishment for not removing offensive things is??? No punishment, no need. We all know this is how Japan works. Unless there is a punishment and it is actually given, people ignore the rules, laws and requests of the cops.

"around 90% of the objectionable material was related to illegal substances."

It would be interesting to know what the other 10% were. At first I thought this might be a freedom of expression issue, but when people post online about illegal drugs or other crimes, they make themselves fair game for police investigation.

The police shouldn't go too far and bite the hand that feeds, though. It looks like 2channel can provide them some decent info on what's going on here.

Servers based in Singapore too? Then I guess they can't do much about it (unless, of course, Singaporean law objects to this).

Police should not censor they should do they jobs and actually hunt down the sellers.

again goes to show how weak the japanese poliec are

Shut it down. 2Channel is a festering boil on the hienie of society, promoting, among other things, child prostitution, bullying, violence, and an overall general malaise of ignorance, asshat-fueled hatred.

So what are they going to do about it? NOTHING!

The j-cops have used this website to make a few arrests. They should use it more often. Let's face it, they need all the help they can get!

Servers based in Singapore too?

Servers in the US actually.

"Objectionable" does not necessarily mean "criminal" or "Illegal", especially over things that are "related" to illegal substances.

Target the ACTIVITY, not the posts.

2chan is a complete cesspool... I wonder why do people even go to that site. US spin-off site 4chan is no better.

Shut it down.

Its a website. It does not explode, shoot bullets, throw knives, drop and crush people, mug people, chase people down, or set them on fire. Its nothing but speech and expression. "Shut it down" are three words I would expect to hear from Chinese Communist Party leaders, not someone here on the net enjoying his own freedom of speech.

around 90% of the objectionable material was related to illegal substances.

Related? Related how? Such a bland statement like that makes me think that even a statement like "marijuana is good for you, fun and safe" was right up with what the coppers wanted erased.

Maybe the cops should spend more time trying to think of ways to protect our free speech than shut it down? I got more important things to worry about that some guy doing drugs on his own time anyway. And so, I would prefer the police adjust their priorities accordingly.

""Shut it down" are three words I would expect to hear from Chinese Communist Party leaders"

Freedom without the responsible exercise thereof isn't freedom. It's chaos.

Just as one cannot reasonably expect to be allowed to scream, "Fire!" in a crowded movie theater for the thrill of it, one also cannot reasonably expect to be allowed the unfettered luxury of promoting, or at the very minimum facilitating through willful ignorance, some of the more virulent forms of crime known to society.

If this were indeed Communist China, the owners of 2Chan would not have received over 6000 requests from the authorities asking them to clean their act up; their offices would have been raided without warning, their equipment seized, and their officers imprisoned.

Six thousand requests to self-regulate and demonstrate some of that responsibility I mentioned seem more than reasonable, even in a democratic society. So you'll forgive me if reserve little more than a chuckle for your quaint, but utterly cliche "Chinese Communist" comment.

The constition of Japan allows for freedom of the press... I am not sure what the crime here is... Is there a crime??

@skeeter27 It is not a news service, just a bbs. The issue is not really about freedom of speech, but more when illegal posts are made. Apart from narcotic related there is also bullying, and baseless rumour mongering, some of which is libellous. Point being, it is not controlled in anyway, and is probably too big to monitor in any meaningful way. For example, someone could identify you (by your real name) as a perpetrator in an alleged crime. Would you want that to be allowed to stay up and published even if you had nothing to do with it? Should that poster be protected by "freedom of speech" laws?

If you haven't been slandered multiple times on 2channel or Wiki, you're a nobody.