

Australian ISP filtering policy is not evidence-based - bootload
http://whirlpool.net.au/news/?id=1855

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pgr
A well written article.

From my understanding, it is largely Senator Conroy who is trying push this
through (for reasons I cannot fathom). It has been noted that if the current
Australian government were to be replaced by the opposition, the Minister for
Communications would have to be replaced. Helen Coonan (the past Liberal
Senator responsible for it) was also in charge of implementing a filtering
scheme - <http://www.netalert.gov.au/> (The state of that link will inform you
how successful that was.)

I'm uncertain whether replacing Conroy would curb internet filtering in
Australia, or merely change it's focus once more.

~~~
ben_h
Speculation, but I think it makes sense:

[http://blog.acooper.org/2009/12/speculation-the-real-
villain...](http://blog.acooper.org/2009/12/speculation-the-real-villain-
behind-the-clean-feed/)

tl;dr: Labor are using the filter as a political means to an end, to court the
conservative Christian senator Steve Fielding's vote on the ETS (Fielding is
more or less a climate change sceptic). Fielding, along with independent Nick
Xenophon, hold disproportinate power in the Senate.

~~~
anamax
> Fielding, along with independent Nick Xenophon, hold disproportinate power
> in the Senate.

Isn't this (parties with a couple of representatives holding the balance of
power) a consequence of proportional representation?

I mention PR because it is often touted as a solution to US problems.

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ErrantX
Very reasoned discussion of the issues.

 _However, there's no evidence that any inadvertent access is taking place_

There is; it just doesn't get reported because no one realises it. It might
even be on your "FavouritPornSite.com" of choice. That's the problem - how DO
they filter that... (answer, they can't)

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zmmmmm
This is the clearest and most reasonable discussion of the issues that I have
seen.

I fear it won't make any difference what anybody says: Conroy is wedded to
this policy by a secret deal with independents in the senate and he'll see it
through no matter what. Besides, every poll done of the public returns support
of ~80%. We, the technically literate folks in Australia, have failed to
educate our fellow citizens to understand how useless, counterproductive and
dangerous this filter will be. The conservatives won't block it, they love the
idea of control over the internet. They can't wait to get in power and start
pulling the levers themselves.

It's been a long time since I felt so depressed about my native country.

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antipaganda
Of course it's not evidence-based!

God needs no evidence to know that you're a filthy pervert. He merely smites
thee with his ability to withhold 0.1 percent of online pornography!

