The Australian government may soon crack down on porn images transmitted to cellular telephones.
The country’s communications minister, Helen Coonan, told the National Press Club here that the ratings system will now cover content on cell phones, according to the newspaper The Australian.
Like the U.S.’s movies rating system, the Australian content rating system includes a “G” rating for general audiences and an “RC” rating for refused classification which also means content is banned.
The government is also scheduled to make a similar announcement regarding Internet content, she said. A proposal with a number of reforms over pornography and other objectionable content is scheduled to go before the government’s cabinet next month.
If the reforms are approved, those arrested for distributing banned material on cell phones and other such devices could face heavy criminal penalties and time in prison.
