Re: a legal problem with 'filters' in germany

[Florian Weimer <fw@deneb.enyo.de>]

* MJ Ray:

> On 2004-10-22 18:24:02 +0100 martin f krafft <madduck@debian.org> 
> wrote:
>
>> please refer to #277794. One single line needs to be erased from the
>> package because otherwise, the package is unconstitutional in
>> Germany (and Austria). [...]
>
> For other -legal contributors, this involves a comedy text filter 
> ("kraut" I think) which emits "Sieg Heil" in certain conditions.
>
> Does s86 of StBG actually apply to software?

Yes, it does.  The German release of Indiana Jones III (from
LucasArts) was edited as a result.

> Why isn't comedy exempt under paragraphs 4 or indeed basic human 
> rights?

Comedy is indeed exempt.  Of course, German TV stations broadcast
Monty Python and Fawlty Towers unedited.

It's another question whether it's a good idea to distribute such
potentially offensive software.

By the way, I would be much more concerned by chastity-list (which is
also horribly out of date).