AfterDawn: Tech news

Australia PM still pushes controversial web filter

Written by James Delahunty @ 13 Oct 2010 12:24 User comments (22)

Australia PM still pushes controversial web filter Despite quite a clear disapproval to the plans, Australia's prime minister Julia Gillard has renewed her backing for a web filter. The proposed filter would block selected content such as depictions of drug use, child sex abuse and bestiality. Gillard says her backing is driven by a "moral question."
Generally when government tries to interfere with the Internet in any way at all, there are concerns raised from ISP's and privacy and personal liberty proponents, but the reaction to Australia's plan goes well past that. Even the U.S. State Department has voice concerns about the plan, and web giants Google, Yahoo and Microsoft are united in their opposition.

The problem they have with the plan is it sets a precedent for censorship. User groups have formed on social networking sites, slamming the government for pushing censorship over Australians and likening the filter to the firewalls used by Iran and China.



"My fundamental outlook is this: it is unlawful for me as an adult to go to a cinema and watch certain sorts of content, it's unlawful and we believe it to be wrong," Gillard said in a press club address. "If we accept that then it seems to me that the moral question is not changed by the medium that the images come through."

There are serious questions that need to be asked about plans such as these. By what method is content determined to require restriction, and who makes that call? Will the methodology change over time and who will ultimately be in control of it?

Also, while it is easy to use problems like child porn to push such a system like this, what is the full list of content types that can be blocked and will this change too over time? And of course the biggest question is whether a blanket filter covering the country's Internet users is really required? Do ISP's already co-operate with child protection agencies online to block known sources of child abuse images, for example?

Previous Next  

22 user comments

113.10.2010 00:46

Bloody conservatives, they are the cancer of this world (at least one of them). Child sex abuse and bestiality may be justifiable, but when they block that what's to stop them to blocking everything else they think is 'immoral'?

213.10.2010 01:06

Originally posted by ROMaster2:
Bloody conservatives, they are the cancer of this world (at least one of them). Child sex abuse and bestiality may be justifiable, but when they block that what's to stop them to blocking everything else they think is 'immoral'?
She is most definitely not a conservative -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Gillard

313.10.2010 01:44

Quote:
She is most definitely not a conservative -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Gillard

I was speaking more-so the public of Australia who supports it.

413.10.2010 01:58

How to fuck up a country in 10 days by Rudd and gillard.

FUCK YOU GILLARD your servers will not last as the community will take it down like that 100 million dollar firewall that was broken in 15 minutes by a 15 year old. Your stupid just give up and give us our rights back. Australia is ment to have freedom.

Your funural how many governments have won vs hackers.

50,000,000 to hackers and 0 to government.

Ur loss

513.10.2010 02:38

"Gillard says her backing is driven by a "moral question.""

Her morals are questionable by her own admittance. Maybe they should just put a swastika on the flag and skip all the little steps.

613.10.2010 03:30

Originally posted by Zealousi:
FUCK YOU GILLARD your servers will not last as the community will take it down like that 100 million dollar firewall that was broken in 15 minutes by a 15 year old. Your stupid just give up and give us our rights back.
haha I think someone has been watching the movie "Hackers" a tiny bit to much ahah.

Anyway. May I just point out. she picks 3 huge things to block, drug use, child sex abuse and.... bestiality? lol. I mean is bestiality some huge trend down under? haha. Just seemed odd to me that she would single out that.

713.10.2010 03:31

hahahahahahahah KB love the comment but this bitch is my local PM after a rigged 4 week to count the vote election.

Polls are to keep the people entertained, but it makes no difference the government will do what they want because they are the government. Nothing has changed in human history with that.

813.10.2010 05:25

The only way to change anything is with revolution; and you do not change the chairs; only who sits in what chair.\


He...notice that all the "related stories" are related to admitted communist dictatorships?

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 13 Oct 2010 @ 5:26

913.10.2010 07:10

Originally posted by Rebel11:
Originally posted by Zealousi:
FUCK YOU GILLARD your servers will not last as the community will take it down like that 100 million dollar firewall that was broken in 15 minutes by a 15 year old. Your stupid just give up and give us our rights back.
haha I think someone has been watching the movie "Hackers" a tiny bit to much ahah.

Anyway. May I just point out. she picks 3 huge things to block, drug use, child sex abuse and.... bestiality? lol. I mean is bestiality some huge trend down under? haha. Just seemed odd to me that she would single out that.
Yes i have seen hackers but what happens when the government restricts internet usage like when they wanted to put the new firewall on and bring Australia's internet as bad as china. How long did that firewall last, not very long because the restrictions was removed on Australia's side.

Also Bestiality is not a huge trend with the Aussies as we take care of ourselves but if your talking about the wogs then someone of them can seen as sheep. (that joke would be even better if this was a NZ problem).

not sure what your source is but your wrong

---edit in----
Just to make a finial point, i managed a family owned Adult shop in Sydney just to prove a point. We are not like that.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 13 Oct 2010 @ 7:26

1013.10.2010 14:40

Quote:
The only way to change anything is with revolution; and you do not change the chairs; only who sits in what chair.\


He...notice that all the "related stories" are related to admitted communist dictatorships?
Revolution would only have everything crash after the end; Gradualism is the only way to go to sustained stability.

1113.10.2010 18:06
welcometointernet
Unverified new user

i believe that the internet should be veiwed as a comunication source akin to nphones, not under the same catogories as movies/books/games
you dont stop people swearing over the phone or teenagers texting their boobs to their friends do they?

1214.10.2010 15:09

Originally posted by Zealousi:
Also Bestiality is not a huge trend with the Aussies as we take care of ourselves but if your talking about the wogs then someone of them can seen as sheep. (that joke would be even better if this was a NZ problem).

not sure what your source is but your wrong

---edit in----
Just to make a finial point, i managed a family owned Adult shop in Sydney just to prove a point. We are not like that.
You mistook my remarks. I'm not saying that IT IS a big thing in Australia, just commenting on how it's odd that the PM singled that out. Thats all.

(as a side note, I though NZ was full of asians? not wogs? lol)

1314.10.2010 15:21

Originally posted by welcometointernet:
i believe that the internet should be veiwed as a comunication source akin to nphones, not under the same catogories as movies/books/games
you dont stop people swearing over the phone or teenagers texting their boobs to their friends do they?
Your anallegy is horrible lol. For the fact that Governments (atleast in the US) do monitor phone calls, and consider "teenagers texting their boobs to their friends" illegal haha.

I mean I think we can all agree that child pornography isn't that great and should probably be stopped. But the main worry is (and i think I speak for most - if not all when i say this) that when we start blocking and filtering certain "immoral" subjects, who is to say what is "immoral" and what is not?

Not to be cliche but the quote "absolute power corrupts absolutely" comes to mind.

1415.10.2010 18:19
pruner
Inactive

Originally posted by Zealousi---edit in----
Just to make a finial point, i managed a family owned Adult shop in Sydney just to prove a point. We are not like that. [/quote:



How is that even vaguely relevant?
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 15 Oct 2010 @ 6:20

1515.10.2010 22:44

She's a ranga. Her little cronie by the name of Conroy are destroying shiet.
They have been told, clearly, not to filter and yet they continue with a survey result that was misleading at best.
Her morals.... what morals are they. Oh yeah here's one
There is a better chance of me being on Mars than me contesting the leadership. Well done ranga, Your a liar just like Conroy who constantly keeps making himself look like a tool.

1615.10.2010 22:52

Many sites are already blocked, we do not need this filter. They have been told repeatedly that this expensive scheme will be easy to get around but they still insist on going ahead... why?

My belief is that they are under pressure from the copyright mob. We will find torrent sites blocked at some point, for instance. Ranting on about child porn is all about paving the way. This setup will probably make it easier for file sharers to be traced too.

Unfortunately there is an element in the Australian Labor Party that needs to dominate and control the people. It's taken me a few years to realise this. It's in our conservative party too but probably not as bad (I have other issues with them).

I'm so disappointed and angry. I always say, "if you really want to feel shafted, then vote for the party of your choice".

1716.10.2010 00:19

I dont vote.The politicians all have good and bad points and im not a citizen so voting is not compulsary for me.The way i look at it who evers in power will do a few good small things and make a few huge mistakes anyway.
I agree they should crack down on childporn.People under the influence of drugs or alcohol can do stupid amusing things.Technically isnt caffine and alcohol and cigarettes drugs aswell???
Basically they are trying to do what they feel is right but at the same time they will be taking away our freedom.

1816.10.2010 08:16

I love how this comes back up AFTER the election. pfft. Getup does so really good campaigning about stopping the filter if anyone is interested. The way to stop this is to get involved. Send an email to your local representative. Contrary to popular belief they do listen and they will listen if all aussies stand up and say we dont' want this filter.

1918.10.2010 21:38

Originally posted by Rebel11:
Originally posted by Zealousi:
Also Bestiality is not a huge trend with the Aussies as we take care of ourselves but if your talking about the wogs then someone of them can seen as sheep. (that joke would be even better if this was a NZ problem).

not sure what your source is but your wrong

---edit in----
Just to make a finial point, i managed a family owned Adult shop in Sydney just to prove a point. We are not like that.
You mistook my remarks. I'm not saying that IT IS a big thing in Australia, just commenting on how it's odd that the PM singled that out. Thats all.

(as a side note, I though NZ was full of asians? not wogs? lol)
LOL im a kiwi that lives in australia, and there are wwwwaaayyyy more asians in australia.

Also how can a restriction of rights be a moral question? The filter should be opt in. im sure some parents and religion fanatics would welcome their freedoms being taken away for the greater good, and thats fine because thats their buisness, but why should everyone in the country suffer just because some fat loser in a basment likes a bit of beastiality?

Its almost like the government has created a monster (National Broadband Network) and then thought....holy shit, these dudes are gunna be downloading some seriously messed up stuff, and decided that we have to be constantly montiored.

If the government is allowed to know what site your accessing, and what time, and can stop you from doing so, then whats to stop them getting your credit card number? or your adress, telephone number.

What happened to privacy?

2018.10.2010 21:47

Originally posted by Scaface43:
If the government is allowed to know what site your accessing, and what time, and can stop you from doing so, then whats to stop them getting your credit card number? or your adress, telephone number.
Don't they already? lol

2119.10.2010 07:42

Originally posted by Rebel11:
Originally posted by Scaface43:
If the government is allowed to know what site your accessing, and what time, and can stop you from doing so, then whats to stop them getting your credit card number? or your adress, telephone number.
Don't they already? lol
pretty sure the governement has my telephone number and address.if not all they have to do is ring optus and they will get it anyway.they have already given it to a load of telemarketers.I'd probably be willing to pay a bit extra for phone calls if it meant 100% guarentee they wouldnt give my phone number to telemarketers or anyone else.

2219.10.2010 22:47

Governements will always be all up in our business lol.

Comments have been disabled for this article.

News archive