A web page on Wikileaks that was recently blacklisted by ACMA because it contains a copy of Denmark’s Internet blacklist is also published on the defunct DBCDE blog. (Update 4:45PM: DBCDE has restricted access to the page with a log in form. Link to cached version added).
Partial screenshot of the DBCDE blog comment, 3PM 18 march 2009.
That’s fine with me as it’s a good example of how futile Internet censorship is — information spreads fast and no government can stop it — not even on their own website. The fact the URL was posted by a DBCDE blog commenter might also show the Government how content created by a third party can get a website tangled in a filter. However, someone should warn them about those nasty 11k-per-day fines if ACMA gets wind of it.
Thanks to Jim Stewart for pointing it out in his video on Aussie net censorship.
7 comments
Ben Grubb says:
Mar 18, 2009
There are a lot of comments to moderate, I give them that.
*rolls eyes*
Eddie says:
Mar 18, 2009
Hilarious!
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any sillier… says:
Mar 18, 2009
[...] to make, then of the fact that the URL to the offending page is available to the public via AMCA’s own website? Should ACMA fine itself? Let’s hope. The page on the ACMA website that contains material [...]
Glenn says:
Mar 18, 2009
When that link to that abortion web site was published on the Whirlpool forums, ACMA played detective until they found said link. It is also published on Wikipedia. I am not sure whether ACMA would be determined to blacklist their own Wikipedia entry.
I wouldn’t be surprised if ACMA finds the Wikileaks link on the DBCDE’s website. If that happens, wouldn’t it be funny if the authority issued a $11,000-a-day fine to DBCDE.
This just proves to you that the blacklist will be leaked. If not on Wikileaks, then somewhere else out there.
Eddie says:
Mar 18, 2009
The DBCDE blog page in question has now been changed to a DBCDE log in page.
Sean the Blogonaut says:
Mar 18, 2009
So what will they do if these links were plastered lets say over any site with a comments feature?
Sam D says:
Mar 19, 2009
@Sean: That’s a good question. These links could end up in all sorts of places, and there is no way that ACMA could deem complaints about them as vexatious. Good luck trying to issue a link deletion notice to an overseas hosted site. The potential fallout could range from blacklisting up to full-blown diplomatic incidents.
Every time that I think this can’t get any more stupid and bizarre, it does.