Bernadette McMenamin, CEO of child protection organisation ChildWise, says those aware of the facts regarding mandatory ISP filtering are advocating child pornography.

She told Australian IT that people are growing hysterical about misinformation that is being spread about the filter.

“Instead of hearing hysteria from the minority we need to hear from the Government and exactly what it intends to ban.”

Ms McMenamin was equally critical of the past weekend’s protests and the DLC’s plans for future action.

“Let the 300 people march on Canberra because it looks pathetic,” he [sic] said. “It looks pathetic and shameful because most of these people are not fully aware of the facts and secondly, those who are aware are, in effect, advocating child pornography.”

Care to explain the ‘facts’ Ms McMenamin? The misinformation? Or how a mandatory ISP filter will protect children from the dangers they face online and off?

Instead of blasting those opposed as not knowing the facts, when it is in fact clear most do, it is time for Bernadette McMenamin to step away from the moral panic machine and take a deep, long look at the realities, assumed benefits and consequences of mandatory filtering.

McMenamin is in a privilleged position to make a real difference for children in Australia and around the world, but her desire to implement filtering with evidently little knowledge of the technology means she is putting more children at risk than she hopes to save.