Australians will be unable to opt-out of the government's pending Internet content filtering scheme, and will instead be placed on a watered-down blacklist, experts say.
Under the government's $125.8 million Plan for Cyber-Safety, users can switch between two blacklists which block content inappropriate for children, and a separate list which blocks illegal material.
Pundits say consumers have been lulled into believing the opt-out proviso would remove content filtering altogether.
The government will iron-out policy and implementation of the Internet content filtering software following an upcoming trial of the technology, according to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
Department spokesman Tim Marshall said the filters will be mandatory for all Australians.
"Labor's plan for cyber-safety will require ISPs to offer a clean feed Internet service to all homes, schools and public Internet points accessible by children," Marshall said.
"The upcoming field pilot of ISP filtering technology will look at various aspects of filtering, including effectiveness, ease of circumvention, the impact on internet access speeds and cost."
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) contacted by Computerworld say blanket content filtering will cripple Internet speeds because the technology is not up to scratch.
Online libertarians claim the blacklists could be expanded to censor material such as euthanasia, drugs and protest.
Internode network engineer Mark Newton said many users falsely believe the opt-out proviso will remove content filtering.
"Users can opt-out of the 'additional material' blacklist (referred to in a department press release, which is a list of things unsuitable for children, but there is no opt-out for 'illegal content'", Newton said.
"That is the way the testing was formulated, the way the upcoming live trials will run, and the way the policy is framed; to believe otherwise is to believe that a government department would go to the lengths of declaring that some kind of Internet content is illegal, then allow an opt-out.
"Illegal is illegal and if there is infrastructure in place to block it, then it will be required to be blocked -- end of story."
Newton said advisers to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy have told ISPs that Internet content filtering will be mandatory for all users.
The government reported it does not expected to prescribe which filtering technologies ISPs can use, and will only set blacklists of filtered content, supplied by the Australia Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
EFA chair Dale Clapperton said in a previous article that Internet content filtering could lead to censorship of drugs, political dissident and other legal freedoms.
"Once the public has allowed the system to be established, it is much easier to block other material," Clapperton said.
According to preliminary trials, the best Internet content filters would incorrectly block about 10,0000 Web pages from one million.
Reprinted with permission from Computerworld Australia. Story copyright 2008 Computerworld Australia Inc. All rights reserved.
Comments
Fuck Kevin Rudd.
What a cunt.
MR K RUDD
KRUDD
What a fucking moron, you cant honestly expect filtering of all of australias networks, your a fucking toolbag, liberal ftw
you have got to be kidding. this is fucking ridiculous.
Encrypted Proxys seem to be the way of the future.
Dont even let your ip know whats going on :)
Encryption won't work - the net will be throttled down to such a low level that it will be like using dialup again. And while they can't break most encryptions even with supercomputers and substantial time, in the US merely encrypting your data can be incriminating. With a law such as this I would suspect they may resort to that. Additionally, you won't always have access to encryption.
That's fucking bullshit.
It said it'll be to households with children, so what about the households without children? Will they still be affected by this naziesque plan?
So, is Mr Rudd going to give us a detailed and fully inclusive list of what comprises illegal material?
What is Mr Rudd going to do to counteract what will be undoubtedly a significant slowing in data speed?
Will those who have paid for so-called 'high speed' internet be reimbursed?
Somehow I doubt it.
Rudd's ability to speak Mandarin has comprised his logic - now he's attempting to censor the internet in much the same way the Chinese government was recently accused of, and, let me tell you, the internet there during the Games was slower than dial-up was 10 years ago in Australia.
Youtube has illegal material (copyrighted works), so therefore Rudd can ban youtube.
What is this China?
Blatant authoritarian bullshit. The internet is the ONLY free media that we have. You have NO right to censor what we CHOSE to look at. Fuck you KRUDD, fuck you, go die in a fucking hole.
Seriously, if Kevin Rudd does this, I will seek him out and pelt him with dye filled eggs. No joke, this is a totally unacceptable attack on personal liberty.
You know what? I like my personal liberties. And I don't want them to be taken away by a government that believes people should only follow their path. If I wish to view a website with content that they don't deem to be acceptable, I *am* going to do it, whether the government and their desires for total control like it or not.
Somebody once said :
"There are two types of government. Those that fear the people, and those that the people fear."
Are we the former becoming the latter?
This government is on the fast track to disaster. What a fucking joke.
This was all very predictable - Rudd and his cronies have never respected our Democracy. Let's face the fact - politicians would love to have the power that the Chinese government has - they know best what is best for everybody - they just need power to implement without accountability.
This issue plus the pathetic response to the financial crisis should be enough to wake people up to Rudd - once he is a laughing stock his days will be numbered.
I have worked for the government all my life and the majority of people employed are a bunch of retards who think they know something. I understand the idea is to filter out illegal material but many other legal sites will be effected because an imcompetent government employee will be at the helm.
What next? will they block websites of opposition parties? This is absolutely ridiculous.
I wonder if it will be as stupid as the other censors I have seen. At school I couldn't access any websites that give information about marijuiana, which I needed for a Health Assignment (though I COULD access websites that SOLD marijuana. yeah, great system you have there).
And other innocent websites (like job seeker websites) have been censored on the basis that they contain pornography.
It's a load of crap. We are moving backwards. Surely no-one that possesses a brain cell will support this.
Hello
I am a journalist for The Fourth Estate, which is a national media and communications show broadcast on community radio.
I'm doing a story on this topic and would be interested in talking to people about how they feel about the cyber safety initative.
Please emil me with your details as soon as possible if you would like to be interviewed.
It can be anonymous if you like!
Thankyou
Michelle
Hello
I am a journalist for The Fourth Estate, which is a national media and communications show broadcast on community radio.
I'm doing a story on this topic and would be interested in talking to people about how they feel about the cyber safety initative.
Please emil me: thefourthestate@2ser.com with your details as soon as possible if you would like to be interviewed.
It can be anonymous if you like!
Thankyou
Michelle
I have always taught m kids well and they know not to look at bad sights so are you trying to say i didnt do my job right as parrent mr rudd huh . my kids know not to look at bad sights or there wont be any internet for them but the only thing my kids do is talk with their friends on msn or play games not all kids parrents teach or allow their kids these sights . u are basically saying well we ar anyway if this goes through so would uyou like to look after them alttogether seeing wer not doing a good enuff job then welll uyou know how many kisds there are in australia well i think you going to be very busy man then ! thats all i can say well i love me kids so you aint getteing them hahahaha and i think im doing agreat job with my boys so if this goes through you are saying im not well i could youse some choice words but im not that way !
While I agree with Anja, her piece would have to be one of thw rost written comments on any web site for a long time.
Anja, use punctuation. Employ grammar. Spell correctly. Do NOT use mobile phone SMS text - it merely makes you look like a fool. Proof read your written work when complete.
Regarding internet filtering, I suggest all those concerned with this Draconian concept write to the Minister, as well as their local MP. If all we do it complain on online forums, nothing will be achieved.
Capt Cornflakes.
While I agree with Anja, her piece would have to be one of thw rost written comments on any web site for a long time.
Anja, use punctuation. Employ grammar. Spell correctly. Do NOT use mobile phone SMS text - it merely makes you look like a fool. Proof read your written work when complete.
Regarding internet filtering, I suggest all those concerned with this Draconian concept write to the Minister, as well as their local MP. If all we do it complain on online forums, nothing will be achieved.
Capt Cornflakes.
Capt Cornflakes,
You might want to chew on your own words, spell check doesn't hurt ;) Oh and opps, ive used a SMS smilie. As for other things, who cares about what people write, or how they say it, for the moment its FREE internet so do what you like! Its and open discussion board.
As for the filtering, its a joke. What does the government think they are trying to do? They certainly don't help anyone. Line their own pockets while hijacking Aussies in the "interest" of Australia.
Spend the money on somthing better like getting Australia back up on its own two feet!
I was actually against filtering the net until I read some of the responses in this forum. Makes you think. If the only ones complaining are the crazy people. Maybe we should filter it and stop them getting access to ....now lets see what are they worried about...porn, snuff video's, child pornography?
You certainly don't sound like the type that is upset because you might have less access to knowledge or an education!
Too bad there are no intelligent folk who have a better response than "F*ck you Rudd. Die in a hole" for instance. That guy should be more concerned about his own psychological state before worrying about any external issues.
Have a great day :)
Welcome to the Peoples Republic of Australia -.-
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