In 2013 Prime Minister David Cameron put pressure on internet service provider [ISPs] to make online filtering mandatory, saying it was the best way to protect children.

"ORG's Blocked project (www.blocked.org.uk) has shown that filters block all kinds of websites, including some that provide useful advice to children and young people. Customers need to understand the implications of filters before deciding whether or not they want them."

Turkey has once again browbeat Twitter into censoring some of the content posted on the micro-blogging site, after being threatened with an outright ban in the country.

According to the New York Times, officials had told news organisations to cease reporting on a military police raid on spooks' trucks that had been destined for Syria in January 2014.

Turkey argued that revealing details of the police raid, after documents of legal proceedings relating to the story were leaked online, could damage national security.

The MPAA has consistently pushed for the power to block infringing sites from the internet: first by pushing for new laws like SOPA in 2011, then through a series of novel legal tactics.

As with SOPA, the biggest concern is what content owners can do without ever going to court. As long as there's a credible case, the simple threat of legal action against ISPs may be all that's required to take something down.

Many people's definition of "liberal" seems to be "say and do whatever you like, as long as I don't find it repulsive." Just as many people's definition of "freedom" is, in fact, "free to think and do only those things of which I approve."

Posting their own petition in the same place as the anti-GTA V one -- Change.org -- these petitioners declare: "Withdraw The Holy Bible -- this sickening book encourages readers to commit sexual violence and kill women."

According to the editors, governments have become more open about their efforts to control the internet by "rapidly adopting new laws that legitimize existing repression and effectively criminalize online dissent."

"The growing restrictions at the national level are changing the nature of the global internet, transforming it from a worldwide network into a fragmented mosaic, with both the rules and the accessible content varying from one country to another," it adds.

Kmart has become the second major retailer to pull controversial video game franchise Grand Theft Auto from its Australian stores.

Target said on Wednesday it would stop selling the game in response to customer complaints sparked by an online petition posted by three women identifying themselves as victims of violence in the sex industry.

“Games should not be treated any differently than books, music, television, or movies rated R18,” Knowles said. “Consumers, which include parents and caregivers, should be allowed to make informed decisions for themselves.”

For a start, the BBFC wants no activities that it classes as "life threatening." These include strangulation, fisting, and face-sitting, although it could be argued the latter would require a morbidly obese performer to be truly life-threatening.

Watersports, violent penetration with foreign objects, and abusive language are on the banned list, although the BBFC says that in the latter case it may not go hard on producers so long as the pornography is clearly roleplaying.

Internet companies are allowing their networks to be used to plot “murder and mayhem”, David Cameron has said in response to the official inquiry into the intelligence agencies’ actions before the killing of Lee Rigby.

He demanded that internet companies live up to their social responsibilities to report potential terror threats and said there was no reason for such firms to be willing to cooperate with state agencies over child abuse but not over combatting terrorism.

They have also agreed to ensure that terrorist and extremist material is captured by their filters to prevent children and young people coming across radicalising material.

Speaking to an audience that included Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, Cameron said that he was pushing UK companies to do more “including strengthening filters, improving reporting mechanisms and being more proactive” in taking down harmful material.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said “we will keep pressing internet companies to be more proactive given the scale of the threats and the persistent propaganda from the terrorist groups”.

The unit uses a wide range of strategies, from writing to domain registrars and threatening them, to working with advertisers in order to cut off revenues from ‘pirate’ sites.

The Police chief believes that tighter rules may be needed to prevent people from breaking the law in the future. This could mean that not everyone is allowed to launch a website, but that a license would be required, for example.