Outside Media Consumption Permit (Kerlile)

An Outside Media Consumption Permit (OMCP) is a type of license available in Kerlile that allows the holder to access foreign media that would otherwise be banned by the Kerlian Censorship Board (KCB). Licenses are issued by the KCB, primarily to their own employees, so that they can evaluate outside media. To obtain an OMCP, one must pass a loyalty test, and to keep the permit, holders are re-assessed annually.

Eligibility

In order to apply for an OMCP, an applicant must prove that it is necessary for their work or studies. The most common professions to be granted permits are members of the Kerlian Censorship Board themselves; film and television producers; propagandists; and intelligence agents - however, this list is not exhaustive. Students on courses such as Film and Television, Information Studies, Persuasive Techniques, and more may also be granted permits. It is considered a criminal offence to submit an application on false pretences; but an application may also be rejected with the acknowledgement that the applicant applied "in good faith" that they may have been eligible.

Assessment

The initial assessment includes an interview with a member of the KCB, a background check, and a written examination comprised of a multiple-choice section and three essays. The written examination may, at the discretion of the Board, be provided instead in a verbal or other alternative format in the case of individuals with disabilities such as dyslexia or blindness. Annual reassessments are comprised solely of a shorter interview and a single essay. If an individual's permit expires, and they re-apply after a gap of over a year, they are required to go through the full initial assessment again.

Interviewers will attempt to assess whether or not the applicant is loyal to the Matriarchy, if they seem susceptible to influence from foreign media, and their ideological positions generally. The interviewer will then write a review of the individual and submit a recommendation to the Board as to whether or not the applicant should be accepted. There is no set criteria, with the interviewer having a large amount of discretion based on their own analysis of the applicant's answers. The multiple choice section analyses knowledge of what one should be wary of in "patriarchal media", while the essays are on three topics: why the applicant needs a permit and their intentions for use; a critique of "patriarchal systems"; and how they intend to prevent themselves from being influenced by foreign media.

Format

Prior to 1999, permit holders were given paper (until 1976) or plastic (1976-1999) permit cards; however with the digitalisation of the Kerlian Citizen Identity Database, an individual's permit status was added to the centralised information database, and their permit status can be ascertained by scanning their ID card, removing the need for an extra physical card.

Exemptions

Councillors and Daughters may automatically be given OMCPs without testing; however the permit of a Daughter may be rescinded by her family's Councillor, or her mother in the event that the Daughter is under the age of sixteen. It is unusual for Daughters to be given a permit before the age of fourteen, although some Council families are more likely to give permits to children than others.

Some foreign media is also permissible for open consumption; such media is listed on the KCB's website and is available in paper format on request. Any foreign-produced media that is also broadcast on a Kerlian TV channel (e.g. Xiomera's Pyramid of Misfortune) is automatically permitted for open consumption. Permissible media may be listed by network, channel or company; or by individual show or film. Many films shown at the IDU Film Festival are put on the permissible list, even if their production company is not usually permitted. Certain countries friendly with Kerlile such as Xiomera, or countries with higher rankings on the Kerlian Women's Safety Index also find it easier to get their media on the list.

Attempted abolition and reintroduction

In 2020, it was announced that the OMCP system would be scrapped entirely. However, in 2022, the system was reintroduced following an alleged increase in Anti-Matriarchal Activity blamed on the scrapping of the system.