Australian government pushes ahead with internet censorship

[Hannah Bell]

The Australian government has stepped up its efforts to censor internet content, announcing on December 15 that it plans to introduce laws for mandatory filtering before next year’s federal election. The measures would be activated in 2011 and force all Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block sites from a secret black-list maintained by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

The Rudd government’s censorship measures, which have been compared with similar censorship filtering regimes in China, Saudi Arabia and Iran, constitute a major attack on democratic rights. The Labor Party would be responsible for introducing the harshest internet censorship regime of any so-called western democracy.

Announcing the policy, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy claimed that the legislation was designed to “increase cyber-safety for Australian families”. Labor would ensure, he declared, that access was denied to all websites containing “child sex abuse, bestiality, sexual abuse and the detailed instruction of crime and drug abuse. It is important that all Australians, particularly young children, are protected from this material.”

Conroy claimed that Denmark, Belgium, Finland, Italy, Germany and The Netherlands already operated similar ISP filter systems but failed to mention that in those countries the filters were voluntary.

Labor’s internet censorship has nothing to do with “protecting children”. Copies of the ACMA black-list, which were leaked in March, revealed that half the sites blocked in trials were not related to child pornography. They included YouTube links, gambling pages, a Queensland dentist and a tour operator. One of those targeted was a site devoted to discussing the geo-political causes of terrorism. It was banned because it included extracts from material written by terrorist groups.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/dec2009/inte-d29.shtml

[canetoad]

1. It won't happen

Remember, you heard it here first.

[Nikki Stone1]

2. "a Queensland dentist"???

I always love it when dentists become enemies of the state. :D

[galileoreloaded]

3. Not that POS source again...I would rather..

Got ya. I know you miss Hamden...

[Hannah Bell]

6. whatever.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2009/12/australia-to-introduce-mandatory-internet-filter/1

[galileoreloaded]

10. I was kidding you.

I remember how he used to bitch about the source. You are very serious.

[Hannah Bell]

11. :>)

[Violet_Crumble]

4. This is bullshit, but what do you expect from a stinky source like that? n/t

[Hannah Bell]

5. sure it is.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2009/12/australia-to-introduce-mandatory-internet-filter/1

[Violet_Crumble]

7. The article you posted was hyperbolic bullshit...

I'm not sure what yr objection is to a filter designed to block violence towards women and child pornography. Because despite the hysteria in the article you posted, that's what this is about, and it's not likely to happen anyway...

[Hannah Bell]

8. & dentists. don't forget the dentists. finished bashing the dead, did you?

[Violet_Crumble]

9. Huh?

The Australian govt isn't targetting dentists. No-one but you has claimed that they have...

Not sure what the other stuff is yr going on about, or what it's got to do with dentists, but I suggest you drop it now...