Forum: Author Hangout

Is that right, EB? Do they require copies of everything which is complete that every Australian has ever posted on SOL? Even haiku?

Seeing as how Australia currently has one of the most stringent laws concerning child porn in the world, I'd think twice before submitting anything from SOL, regardless of content. Once they start looking, there's no telling where it will lead.

Self-publishing is self-publishing. If you post it on Amazon, or any similar site, you're self published. Posting to SOL is the same as posting to icanhascheeseburger.com, it's NOT considered a 'publication'. And, as robberhands points out, this is NOT a legal requirement, it is simply a 'request' for submissions. There are no penalties of any kind involved.

Seeing as how Australia currently has one of the most stringent laws concerning child porn in the world, I'd think twice before submitting anything from SOL, regardless of content. Once they start looking, there's no telling where it will lead.

You run into an interesting legal conflict then, because one defence is having Commonwealth Classification - I bet the lawyers can make a fortune off this one.

Unlikely, every country holds a territorial and a personal judical prerogative. That means it doesn't matter where you commit a crime. If you are an Australian citizen, Australia can prosecute you under Australian law in any case.

I wasn't looking at the territorial aspect, but at the aspect of the conflict between the legal deposit law and the porn laws and how they can conflict in some cases. Current federal laws says I have to lodge a copy of my works, another federal law says I can't send a file involving sex with someone under 18 years of age over the Internet - it used to be 16 so it was legal when i wrote some sex scenes in some stories, but not legal to put them over the net now. So two different federal authorities can argue it out as to what's legal.

NLA = National Liberation Army, a Macedonian terrorist/freedom fighter organisation ;)

AJ

NLA = National Liberation Army, a Macedonian terrorist/freedom fighter organisation ;)

It's real initials aren't NLA because it's proper name isn't in English, thus NLA is just a close English approximation of its name. it's OHA in Macedonian and UCK in Albanian. However, over the years there have been a number of groups whose name translated as National Liberation Army when changed to English, and almost all of them wanted to put in place a single socialist leader like Stalin - so I'm not sure where the liberation came into it.

That's a similar conflict a drug dealer faces. His business is prohibited but he still has to pay taxes.

Actually, so long as he actually pays taxes on his income - presuming he fills out his tax form showing the income as self-employment income, he doesn't actually have to list the specific source - he's good.

That's where these guys run afoul of the IRS (notice that if you put those words close together, it spells THEIRS). Also, since this is about Australian law, your law is different, you can't deduct anything from an illegal activity. Here in the US, we can't deduct bribes, kickbacks, or fines and penalties. It's even listed as a legitimate question on tax support websites.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2410834-does-income-from-illegal-activity-need-to-be-reported

I looked up the legal definition of publishing and found the US definition. It was very interesting. If Australia's definition is the same, then publishing is defined as the transfer of information to the public regardless of medium. In addition to authors, that includes newspapers, magazines, academic papers, , etc.

Politicians transfer information through their speeches. I suspect they could be defined as self-publishing and be required to submit a written copy of their speeches. If they haven't been complying, will they be fined?

Is this the law of Unintended Consequences? :)

ETA: Inferred but forgot to state that communicating information verbally would be included as publishing according to US law. So all TV News programs, teachers' lectures, politicians' speeches, etc., could be included.

If they haven't been complying, will they be fined?

I hope so

the transfer of information to the public regardless of medium.

I admitted to my Writers' Group that I receive e-mails from readers. Some of them accused me of being a 'published author'. I insisted I wasn't, because that's not the traditional meaning of the term. But with authorities trying to increase their sphere of influence (no doubt followed by taxation), who knows how the meaning will change.

I'd better make sure none of the characters in 'Gay!' comes across as Australian :(

AJ

I'd better make sure none of the characters in 'Gay!' comes across as Australian :(

:)
Since the law applies to Australian authors, you are okay. If the authorities are upset that a story contains Australian character, they can go arrest those characters. :)

I thought someone got an official response that the NLA (isn't there a terrorist group with those initials?) would be interested in works by non-Australians that were not published in Australia but that were set in that country, but I can't find it to quote it.

From there, it's only a short step to wanting copies of works containing Australian characters. No doubt governmental snowflakes would like to ensure there's no cultural appropriation taking place ;)

AJ

I thought someone got an official response that the NLA (isn't there a terrorist group with those initials?) would be interested in works by non-Australians that were not published in Australia but that were set in that country, but I can't find it to quote it.

True, they did say they would like such works lodged with them, but they have no legislative power to demand them, they can just ask nicely or accept if you offer.