Compulsory internet filtering in Australia

[Dean]

THE Federal Government is planning to make internet censorship compulsory for all Australians and could ban controversial websites on euthanasia or anorexia.

Australia's level of net censorship will put it in the same league as countries including China, Cuba, Iran and North Korea, and the Government will not let users opt out of the proposed national internet filter when it is introduced.

Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy Minister Stephen Conroy admitted the Federal Government's $44.2 million internet censorship plan would now include two tiers - one level of mandatory filtering for all Australians and an optional level that will provide a "clean feed", censoring adult material.

Despite planning to hold "live trials" before the end of the year, Senator Conroy said it was not known what content the mandatory filter would bar, with euthanasia or pro-anorexia sites on the chopping block.

"We are talking about mandatory blocking, where possible, of illegal material," he told a Senate Estimates Committee.

Previously the net nanny proposal was going to allow Australians who wanted uncensored access to the web the option to contact their internet service provider and be excluded from the service.

Groups including the System Administrators Guild of Australia and Electronic Frontiers Australia have slammed the proposal, saying it would unfairly restrict Australians' access to the web, slow internet speeds and raise the price of internet access.

EFA board member Colin Jacobs said it would have little effect on illegal internet content, including child pornography, as it would not cover peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.

"If the Government would actually come out and say we're only targeting child pornography it would be a different debate," he said.

But the Australian Christian Lobby yesterday welcomed the Government's proposals.

Its managing director Jim Wallace said he expected resistance from the industry but the measures were needed.

"The need to prevent access to illegal hard-core material and child pornography must be placed above the industry's desire for unfettered access," Mr Wallace said.

[SAB]

Pure Communism.

Bloody pathetic. There are far more pressing issues that that flat-head, ear-wax eating toss bag should be tackling rather than what people look up on the internet

[thelonius]

And to think I had so much hope when Howard was finally voted out....

[Cal]

Diwana sent an e-mail to all members about this last week.

Hi All,

Please excuse the unsolicited email however there is an important issue facing all Australian internet users that has the potential to effect other users around the world by setting a dangerous precedent in net-filtering. Please visit this page http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/SaveTheNet/442 and sign the petition if you disagree with the governments right to censor the internet.

Thanks,

fr3ak (diwana owner)

It's unnecessary is some cases. They should try and filter out child pornography and human trafficking websites before they even think about filtering TV material.

[emmasi]

Huh, so that dream I had about Kevin Rudd dehumanising Australians and taking away our rights wasn't as crazy as I thought. I like Kevin Rudd, so it really confused me that I would have a dream like that, but now it's clear. In the dream, people were subjected to humiliating scans, where they had to crawl through an x-ray machine like dogs to prove that they weren't a threat to national security... I asked why we couldn't just walk through, and Mr Rudd yelled like a Nazi that that would give me the impression that I had a right to stand up.

[Mrs Bishop]

Acually I,m glad I dont live in Australia now what a bunch of w*****s the goverment in the uk tried that and had to leave it up yo the individual ISPs but as far as I can see were occasionally here on the news ab out crackdowns on child pornography and pedifiles going into chat rooms But I think you know when to call it a day not letting children use a computer in there bedroom alone bur it comes to somethink if you have to police your kids all the time, this is another form of BB.

[suzannelgnz]

Like Cal, I got the e-mail from Diwana last week. I have signed the petition against this idea.

Hopefully Mr Key doesn't decide to do anything like this here in NZ.

I'm sure there are a lot of other things the Australian federal government should spend their money on, and filtering out legitimate websites is definitely not one of them. If anything this measure is going to have a "big brother" effect on internet users everywhere, but especially in OZ.

[Eli]

That's ridiculous. Here we have a child pornography filter, but other than that I think you can access most stuff. I don't think pro ana websites are good by any means, don't get me wrong, but at the same time people should have freedom of speech. What needs to be done is to raise awareness around these cases. With chil pornography there are victims of other people's actions, and that's illegal for obvious reasons, but banning that other stuff... No, that's not okay at all if you ask me. I've been to pro ana sites as a part of research for assignments on issues related to that. A page like that can be a good source if you're like writing an assingment to use that example about dieting and body image in today's society. Child pornography on the other hand, I don't think you can call that a good source under any circumstance.

[Mrs Bishop]

I thought the net was origanally set up to help kids with there home work well are we to go back to the days when Kids have to do there homework with books we know they use books but at least they can look up somethink that they are doing with ease trouble is the goverments get a bee in there bonnets and because they see people enjoying them selves they dont like it because there is no money in it for them but I will say since I my self have been on the net I,ve learnt a lot more than I ever did at school.

[~Lynd~]

Kevin Rudd's an idiot.You'd think he'd have more to worry about then this and our alcohol consumption but apparently not.He's to busy on Rove.Or overseas.