Report on live ISP filtering trial released
December 15, 2009 – 2:30 pm
Senator Conroy has released the long awaited report on the ISP filtering live pilot. Read it here.
More to come.
ISPs put hands up to play censor? Majors may go at filtering alone
December 14, 2009 – 10:00 pm
Details are sketchy, but Communications Day has reported that Telstra, Optus, iiNet and Primus will cooperatively introduce a system to block a blacklist of Refused Classification (RC) websites.
Commsday reports that the cooperative effort to block a blacklist of RC websites is ‘an attempt to combat child pornography’ but at this stage it remains unclear whether the ISPs actually intend to block all RC material or limit it to child pornography.
What is RC
‘Refused Classification’ is a broad classification category and in most cases content which falls under it is legal to possess and view in Australia (the exception being Western Australia and some indigenous communities in the Northern Territory or where the content is illegal under criminal codes such as child abuse). RC includes material surrounded by political debate like The Peaceful Pill Handbook, as well as films like Ken Park, adult pornography with fetishes (such as spanking) and even content that depicts or deals with drug misuse and addiction. Find out more about RC and other classification types at Libertus.net.
Since the Government announced it would introduce mandatory filtering many media outlets have shown a complete lack of understanding about the types of content classified Refused Classification and Commday’s report could well be another case of that. Until details are confirmed by the ISPs involved, what this plan means for Australians and the Government’s own plan is uncertain.
Six important questions that I want answered:
- What is the aim of the filter? Is it to block only child pornography websites?
- How will it work?
- Who will supply the blacklist? ‘RC websites’ suggests it will be ACMA, but would a combination of lists be used (including the IWF list)?
- If the ACMA blacklist is used, how will the ISPs block only child pornography websites (if that is the intent) or RC websites when the contents of the ACMA list are not categorised by content or classification, or available to view.
- Will this system be mandatory or opt-in? Opt-out?
- Has there been any consultation with the Government?
In related news, Commsday also expects the Government’s report on live ISP filtering trials will be released this week.
Update 11:30PM: iiNet’s Michael Malone informs Whirlpool members that iiNet won’t introduce compulsory filtering unless required to do so by law.
“I’ve been very vocal on this, consistently over many many years. iiNet won’t introduce compulsory filtering unless required to do so by law. It’s not a sensible solution to anything. Read my recent comments in the media on this.”
About time: Public Consultation on R18+ Classification for computer games
December 14, 2009 – 8:40 pm
It’s finally here (and about time). The Federal Government is inviting submissions from the Australian public on whether the Australian National Classification Scheme should include an R18+ rating for video games.
Download the paper here: DOC | PDF.
According to the sixteen page paper, the government aims to summarise some of the key arguments for and against an adult game rating and gather community views. It does not intend to ‘promote or oppose the introduction of an R 18+ classification for computer games’.
Despite claims in the past from some of those opposed that an R18+ classification would see a flood of sexually violent games hitting Australian shores, the paper is quick to point out that even with the introduction of an R18+ classification, games which would be classified Refused Classification for content such as sexual violence would still be refused classification.
Submissions can be made by downloading and completing the submission template available on the Attorney-General’s website. Submissions must be received by close of business 28 February 2010.
Protest Australian game bans – Brisbane, Saturday December 5
December 3, 2009 – 11:00 pm
Show your support for the introduction of an adult games rating this Saturday the 5th Of December at King George Square in Brisbane. It’s set to kick off at 11am (a good chance for you to fit in some Christmas shopping after. Games perhaps?).
The Facebook group for the event lists 74 confirmed guests, so hopefully most will show. More information at Treat Us Like Adults.
- Mike
Report on New Zealand net filtering trial
October 4, 2009 – 8:33 pm
New Zealand blogger Thomas Beagle has obtained a copy of the NZ Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) report (PDF) on their trial of an Internet filtering system (in this case the Netclean Whitebox).
Beagle writes:
The second half of it [the report] is more interesting as it has some results from the DIA’s testing. This was apparently split into three phases:
- Single ISP with 5,000 users ((already had their own filtering system so it was probably Watchdog).
- Two ISPs with 25,000 users.
- Four ISPs with 600,000 users (at a guess this was when Ihug and TelstraClear joined).
There’s no way to measure the effectiveness of the filter at stopping people from finding child pornography – we can’t tell how many people worked around it or downloaded material using peer to peer filesharing or other methods.
According to the report, the system was operating at 80% capacity in the third phase. Apparently this was a bit much for it as: “the system did experience some stability issues processing this amount of requests and required maintenance on two occasions to replace hardware.”
There is no further detail about whether the “80% capacity” referred to the performance of the filtering system or the Internet connection they were using.
Video: Fort Australia forum on Internet censorship
October 4, 2009 – 8:03 pm
Video of the Fort Australia Forum, Cyberhate? Censorship on the Internet, held Tuesday September 8th. 2009 is now available to watch. The forum was held in the Jubilee Room Parliament House Sydney and speakers include Fiona Patton, Geordie Guy, Jim Wallace and Angela Conway.
Time guide:
Ms. Fiona Patton – Convenor of the Australian Sex Party (approx 7mins 30 secs)
Mr. Jim Wallace – Managing. Director The Australian Christian Lobby (approx 19mins 51secs)
Mr. Geordie Guy – Spokesperson Electronic Frontiers Australia (approx 43mins 30secs)
Ms Angela Conway – Director Pro-family Perspectives (approx 56mins 00secs)
Questions from the floor are at the 89mins mark.
Another high-profile game ban: Left 4 Dead 2 no match for censors
September 17, 2009 – 9:11 pm
It didn’t take long. Another video game has been banned by the Australian Classification Board. This time Left 4 Dead 2, the high-profile sequel to the 2008 first-person zombie shooter which was classified MA15+.
The ACB handed down a Refused Classification rating to the new game, citing high in impact violence making it unsuitable for persons aged under 18 to play.
“The game contains realistic, frenetic and unrelenting violence which is inflicted upon “the infected” who are living humans infected with a rabies-like virus that causes them to act violently” the board’s report reads.
Read the ACB report here, courtesy of News.com.au (via IGN).
“The player can choose from variety of weapons such as the pistols, shotguns, guns and sniper rifles. However, it is the use of the “malee” weapons such as the crowbar, axe, chainsaw and Samurai sword which inflict the most damage. These close in attacks cause copious amounts of blood spray and splatter, decapitations and limb dismemberment as well as locational damage where contact is made to the enemy which may reveal skeletal bits and gore. Projectile shots to infected humans can cause abdominal wounds which can reveal innards or even cause intestines to spill from the wounds.”
The ACB also states in the report the interactive nature of the game increases the overall impact of the frequent and intense depictions of violence.
The ban comes just days after Game Spot Australia revealed that progress on the planned public consultation on the introduction of an R18+ game classification is still delayed. Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor told GameSpot AU that it would be premature to give an indication about when an R18+ classification for computer games could be introduced.
According to IGN, EA Australia has issued the following statement about the Left 4 Dead 2 ban: “[We] are still working through the submission process with OFLC and want to explore all opportunities before making any comment.
A minority of the board recommended Left 4 Dead 2 be classified MA15+ with strong violence classification.
Conroy spreads more misinformation as PM and ACMA websites attacked
September 9, 2009 – 10:40 pm
The government’s response to website attacks by ‘Anonymous’ this evening highlight why such illegal actions do nothing to help the fight against net censorship, with Senator Conroy telling the media that the people responsible are misguided and that the proposed filter would only be used to block illegal content.
The Minister for Communications told the Herald Sun that the campaign that they’re mounting is erroneous and misinformed and that the government is proposing is to filter refused classification content which includes imagery of child sexual abuse, rape and bestiality.
Of course, that’s far from the truth.
Refused classification is an extremely broad classification category and in most cases it is legal to possess and view RC material in Australia (the exception being Western Australia and some indigenous communities in the Northern Territory or where the content is illegal under criminal codes such as child abuse). RC includes material surrounded by political debate like The Peaceful Pill Handbook, as well as films like Ken Park, adult pornography with fetishes (such as spanking) and even content that depicts or deals with drug misuse and addiction. Video games which do fit below the MA15+ classification are also classified as RC.
In fact, in May of this year the Government revealed that the blacklist (at the time) contained only 32% child abuse material. Another 19% was refused classification material and the remaining 49% was rated X18+ or less.
Here’s the criteria from the National Classification Code for determining if a film is RC:
Films that:
- depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified; or
- describe or depict in a way that is likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult, a person who is, or appears to be , a child under 18 (whether the person is engaged in sexual activity or not); or
- promote, incite or instruct in matters of crime or violence
Reports on web forums suggest PM.gov.au was DDoS’ed, but returned after approximately five minutes. However, the Herald Sun reports both PM.gov.au and ACMA.gov.au were down for up to an hour.
Anonymous announced they would carry out attacks on government websites at 7PM Wednesday evening, demanding no Internet filter and the resignation of Senator Conroy. However, such methods and demands suggest little understanding of how political policy is changed in Australia. Acts like this have the potential to unravel the hard work already done by many to try and end this policy.
Understandably, like the majority of Australians, Anonymous are frustrated with the government’s plan to censor the web. However, efforts need to be put into legal and well conceived actions, for these have long last lasting effects, not just brief notoriety.
Illingworth charges dropped
September 9, 2009 – 9:42 pm
In case you haven’t heard, all charges against Chris Illingworth were dropped Wednesday following a review by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. What a relief.
Illingworth was facing up to 20 years of jail on child-abuse charges for posting a video of a baby being swung around.
In an exclusive for SMH, Asher Moses writes:
A spokeswoman for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions said: “This prosecution was discontinued yesterday after the matter was reviewed by the CDPP … taking into account all of the circumstances involved including the classification given to the material by the Classification Board.”
But the decision was bittersweet for Illingworth, 61, a father of four who was looking forward to his chance to be proven innocent in court.
“I thought I’d be excited but I would’ve been more excited to go into court because I knew I’d done nothing wrong, and they’ve taken that privilege away from me,” he said on the phone today.
Illingworth has called for an inquiry into the matter and told the Sydney paper he will seek legal advice about legal action against parties involved in charging him.
Last week Moses revealed that the video at the centre of the case had been classified as just MA15+ by the Australian Classification Board and that the information had been passed onto the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. It was for this reason a review was undertaken.
This has been a severely stressful time for Illingworth and I hope he gets justice. Kudos to everyone who helped see this end.
Aussie film up for review after Classification Board sees non-existent drug scene
September 3, 2009 – 9:45 pm
I’m sure the Australian Classification Board sees a lot of things during their day-to-day duties, but scenes of strong drug use that don’t actually exist? That sounds like Fear and Loathing in Surry Hills.
According to the ACB’s report for the Australian comedy, Stone Bros. opens with a montage in which marijuana is shown being cut from the plant, mixed with tobacco and formed into joints. However, the film’s director, Richard J. Frankland, and its distributor, AFS, deny such a scene ever existed.
Odd.
Thankfully the Federal Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O’Connor, has requested a review and the Classification Review Board will meet on Saturday September 12 to consider applications.
Classified 16/07/2009, Stone Bros is rated MA15+ with ‘consumer advice’ about strong drug use.
