Australian ISPs Refuse To Censor The Internet

from the thanks,-but-no-thanks dept

Wed, Dec 10th 2008 6:33pm — Mike Masnick

It looks like the Australian government's latest plan to censor the internet is running into a few snags. Earlier, one big ISP had agreed to take part, but only to show how stupid the plan was. However, a few readers have sent in the news that both Telstra and Internode have refused to take part in the trials that are starting up. Plus, the government is now claiming that the trials won't involve any actual customers. And, from the sound of things, there is growing opposition to the entire plan, with opposition politicians pushing to scrap the whole thing. Maybe the current government officials pushing this plan should have thought through how this would go before unilaterally announcing the plan, and spending plenty of money on it.

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Filed Under: australia, filters, isps, porn, regulations

9 Comments

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william bradley, 10 Dec 2008 @ 7:13pm

Australian internet censorship
It is a bad law that cannot be enforced.
Hmm, come to think of it don't the drug laws contradict the law of supply and demand? You know, enforcement causes a shortage which drives up prices which thereby pulls in more suppliers?
Seems to me that censoring the internet is more than futile; censorship will cause a prohibition-type mentality and simply propagate that which it is trying to stop.
And what are they trying to censor? Porn? Bad taste? Art? Freedom of speech?
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Jesse McNelis, 10 Dec 2008 @ 8:42pm

Re: Australian internet censorship
They are trying to censor "unwanted content", although not nobody has given a definition of that that refers to. I can't imagine content that I wouldn't want.

Lucky this plan is going down in flames, the liberals and the greens don't support it, so it will never make it through the senate.
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Mark, 10 Dec 2008 @ 10:05pm

They are trying to censor "unwanted content", although nobody has given a definition of that that refers to.
They know it when they see it....

/sarc
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lance reynolds, 10 Dec 2008 @ 10:38pm

Re: Re: Australian internet censorship
can we borrow a few of your greens and liberals? or maybe grow some we could have? ours don't seem to be green enough to make much difference, and the 'fact' that they have to be affiliated with some christian church to get elected sorta ensures they're not actually very liberal at all.

"unwanted content" will always be mostly about legislating our sexual morals, at least as long jesus, jehovah and mohammad hold sway. they are the same people who insist that gay folks getting married is an evil that should be stamped out. they'll never get tired of trying to save us from the wages of sin.

please help make sure it goes down in flames _and_ is allowed to burn to ashes.
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Grokk, 11 Dec 2008 @ 1:12am

I'm not sure exactly what has happened here in AU, but the current government has made some really really stupid decisions. Maybe I'm just paying more attention and this has been going on for years. Who knows.
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Uk Boi, 11 Dec 2008 @ 2:19am

There was an interview with the TiT whose idea it was to censor the .Net. He couldnt give an answer as to what will actually be blocked... This was in parliment!

OZ boys, take a note from the UK. They _tried_ to filter us & there was nothing but backlash. The message is simple; Dont fukk with our .net

Good luck over there boys & girls.
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Gbanger, 11 Dec 2008 @ 3:18am

I came across this web site the other day with a petition against the entire concept. Might be worth a look

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/SaveTheNet/442

SAVE THE NET FROM RUDD!
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Peavey, 11 Dec 2008 @ 5:18am

ha!
"...government officials pushing this plan should have thought through how this would go before unilaterally announcing the plan, and spending plenty of money on it."

But didn't you hear!? Government officials love creating policy that is unenforceable. Happens all the time all over the world!
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Dec 2008 @ 9:54am

Re:
Ah, there's a scary concept: A blacklist run by the government, in secret. Your government wishes to prevent you from seeing something, but won't tell you what it is. Any time your government wants to do something in secret, you have a problem. See: Bush Administration.
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