Mandatory filtering gets international coverage
October 17, 2008 – 11:46 pmApart from Computerworld and Crikey, Australian media remains alarmingly silent on the latest development in the Government’s mandatory filtering plan: There is no way to completely opt-out. The good news is international outlets understand the importance of stopping what’s about to take place and are picking the story up. It’s also quickly climbing the ladder on Digg.
Jacqui Cheng at Ars Technica writes:
‘Assuming this is in fact the way the scheme is implemented in practice, it raises plenty of troubling questions. “Illegal” is a broad definition, leaving users wondering exactly what kinds of content will end up falling prey to the government’s apparently mandatory filtering restrictions. Will Big Content be ringing up the Aussie government soon to have tracker sites added to the blacklist? What about sites that discuss topics like at-home bomb making, or something a little less explosive, like DVD decryption tools? And how about those sites that advise users on how to get around the filters? Will various Wikipedia pages be blocked?
Australia continues to ignore its own government-funded studies from 2006 that show ISP-level filtering to be ineffective and costly. The Australian government’s disregard for those prior studies suggests that the driving force behind the current plan is more political than technical.’
Karl Bode from Broadband Reports:
‘So far similar efforts here in the States have either been simply too stupid to work or ruled unconstitutional. But as we mentioned yesterday, with child porn used as a rallying cry, there’s a growing push in the States to use Deep Packet Inspection to monitor each and every packet you send and receive for legality. At the heart of most of these efforts? The entertainment industry, who wants ISPs and government to protect their failing business models.’
Duncan Riley for Crikey:
‘Imagine owning a physical shop, to go to work one morning to discover the Government has closed down your business because someone spray painted “illegal” words on your door overnight. No one would stand for this, but this is exactly what the Government is saying it will do to Australian businesses online under this proposal.’
But my favourite of the bunch has to come from Nick Farrell at The Inquirer:
‘Internet Service Providers have warned that the glorious filter will slow Australian internet speeds down to that of a three-legged dingo dragging a baby up Ayers’ Rock.’
Browsing forums and blogs today, it’s surprising to see how many Australians are only just becoming aware of the Government’s censorship plans. I haven’t seen anyone happy about it though. More and more people are penning letters to Conroy and other politicians to express their outrage.
11 Responses to “Mandatory filtering gets international coverage”
I hope that’s true, and I’m glad to hear it. I’ve been doing my bit to spread the word and encouraging others to make their voice heard recently.
Let’s hope it catches like wildfire.
By Simon on Oct 18, 2008
Hi Mike, I’ve been trying to get the Australian media to write about this but like you said they all remain silent. I started sending the story out to international sites and got a little bit of momentum going.
By Shane on Oct 18, 2008
I’m doing an assignment on drugs and their negative impact on society. Unfortunately, due to the fact that I can’t search up terms like “marijuana” or “heroin” I can’t complete my assignment because I can’t research the FACTS and not the myths associated with each respective drug.
Thanks a lot, Australian Government. Not only have you accomplished NOTHING, but you’ve actually REVERSED the impact you initially set out to achieve.
By introducing mandatory filtering, you’re dumbing down the nation even further and you’ve removed any chance of our children learning about what is right and what is wrong.
By LB on Oct 18, 2008
Also a comment by Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing: http://www.boingboing.net/2008/10/15/australias-great-fir.html
I expect more and more international attention as time goes by.
By Colin on Oct 18, 2008
Slashdot: http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/17/066236
By Colin on Oct 18, 2008
Hey I got a letter back from the Department of Broadband, three pages long on my concerns. I have yet to go through it and remove the spin.
By Sean the Blogonaut on Oct 18, 2008
Readers of Cory Doctorow’s “Little Brother” may recognise some of these tips (and you will recognise the name they’re under….)
http://www.google.com/reader/shared/user/00907783891347362261/label/w1n5t0n
By martin english on Oct 18, 2008
Please don’t let this happen. If it does it will only be a brief matter of time before one of our more corrupt politicians introduces an out-right wide-sweeping ban here in the US. We’re already on the that path.
If you fall, we fall.
G
By GZ on Oct 18, 2008
I don’t see electric drills being banned because you might use it to drill a hole in yours or someone elses head?
This nanny state crap about blocking things that could be used in the wrong way is mindless and stupid.
Next money will be banned so that bank robbers will be out of work.
By Pete Farrow on Oct 19, 2008
In old days we used to build walls around our cities and countries because the world outside was big and violent.
To day it is not the way to do it.
To day we have to attack those who produce and deliver filth and put them in prison.
Laws like these are like handing a loaded gun to a crook and telling him it is OK because it is us who have to protect ourselves against him.
In Finland we have had the same stupid reaction bye the government.
I do not know how that legislation is doing to day, but I hope it is dead bye now.
Laws like these are like asking us to lock down our mailbox because we cannot trust the government to restrict the press from producing child porn and other filth.
By Lars Backman on Oct 20, 2008
Lars. What is your solution? Lock everyone up in a cell, “for their own protection” of course.
By Stevian on Oct 20, 2008