

US State Dept questions Australia's planned Internet Filtering. - ra
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/stephen-conroy-and-us-at-odds-on-net-filter/story-e6frg996-1225846614780

======
mmastrac
This quote from the article is what bugs me about these national firewalls:
"While considered a noble idea..."

It's not noble at all - it's an outrageous, secretive, information-blocking
filter with no accountability whatsoever. It's a great way for a government to
get its foot in the door into controlling what information is acceptable for
its citizens to consume.

While this sounds like a slippery-slope fallacy
(<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slippery_slope>), I'd like to point out that
leaked copies of blacklists from Australia, Denmark and Thailand all contain
entries which, IMHO, a reasonable person would not consider worthy of a block:

[http://www.somebodythinkofthechildren.com/denmark-net-
censor...](http://www.somebodythinkofthechildren.com/denmark-net-censorship-
blacklist/)

All of my Google searches for supporting references ended up at
somebodythinkofthechildren.com- I'd recommend reading further there for anyone
interested.

~~~
jstevens85
>with no accountability whatsoever.

The legislation has been delayed so that the government can implement
"transparency and accountability" measures.

>It's a great way for a government to get its foot in the door into
controlling what information is acceptable for its citizens to consume.

Get its foot in the door? The scope of the internet filter censorship will be
identical to what already exists for traditional media - books, magazines,
films and video games. The government already has its foot in the door. What's
happened is that since 1996 they've started to lose grip, and this legislation
is an ineffectual attempt to regain the control the government had 15 years
ago. However, as the trial report and Conroy himself have stated, the filter
will be trivial to bypass.

~~~
nopassrecover
The internet isn't media, it is the domain in which modern citizens conduct
business, exchange ideas and interact with one another. Censoring the internet
isn't like censoring books - it's like policing social clubs, mobile phones,
political organisations and retail stores.

------
ra
I'm very pleased that this topic has been raised on the international agenda.

So far I have only heard meaningful criticism of the plan from within the
Internet industry.... this is so much more important than the man on the
street realises.

~~~
hartror
I'm expecting the filter legislation to be dragged out till after the election
then dumped once they win especially if (let's hope) Fielding loses his seat!.
I think the only reason it has been dragged out this long is face saving on
Conroy's part.

~~~
philk
_I think the only reason it has been dragged out this long is face saving on
Conroy's part._

I'm not so sure about that. Conroy keeps returning to the filter, whereas if
they'd wanted to save face but ditch the policy they'd have just murdered it
by committee somewhere.

~~~
hartror
They know it is unworkable, they know it is a waste of money so as long as
they don't implement it instead of a black mark against them they have the
promise of "protecting children". They can then go into the election with it
as a plus. This is assuming the average aussie is sucked in by this, I have
major sampling bias as I surround myself with techies and left wing nuts so I
haven't a clue.

------
jamesbressi
Ironic we question another country, yet we still haven't put net neutrality to
bed here in the U.S.

------
benologist
.... "for advice".

