ISPs put hands up to play censor? Majors may go at filtering alone
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...
About time: Public Consultation on R18+ Classification for computer games
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...
Protest Australian game bans – Brisbane, Saturday December 5
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...
Report on New Zealand net filtering trial
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...
Video: Fort Australia forum on Internet censorship
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...
Another high-profile game ban: Left 4 Dead 2 no match for censors
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...
Conroy spreads more misinformation as PM and ACMA websites attacked
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...
Illingworth charges dropped
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...
Aussie film up for review after Classification Board sees non-existent drug scene
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...
Video in Illingworth case rated MA15+
The video at the centre of a criminal case brought against Queensland resident Chris Illingworth, which shows a baby being swung around in the arms of an adult, has been classified as just MA15+ by the Australian Classification Board. Asher Moses at SMH writes: The Australian Communications and Media Authority, responding to a complaint about...
QLD bans skateboarding at night, NSW wants Red Bull off the shelves
Have we entered the Twilight Zone? The Queensland Government have announced they will ban skateboarding and rollerblading at night, while the NSW Government wants energy drinks like V and Red Bull taken off the market. Queensland According to Queensland Transport Minister Rachel Nolan, Queensland needs the night ban because riders become almost invisible to motorists...
Is Conroy’s filter cooked and ready to be served?
Senator Nick Minchin has been quiet lately, but today he made up for it when he blindsided Senator Conroy in the media, demanding he end his mandatory filtering farce. It wasn’t exactly the most daring exchange of words, but it’s the response he managed to yank out of the Minister for Communications that really sheds...
