Obama Administration Warns Australia About Its Internet Censorship Plan

from the you-better-run,-you-better-take-cover dept

Mon, Mar 29th 2010 11:33pm — Mike Masnick

With the latest in a long line of attempts by the Australian gov't to censor the internet in a manner similar to China, it seems that its plans have finally caught the attention of the US government. The State Department has apparently raised concerns about the plan with the Australian government. The specifics of the comments to the Australian gov't were not made clear beyond "we have raised our concerns on this matter." Of course, those comments might carry a bit more weight if US politicians didn't keep suggesting similar (if not quite as stringent) plans in the US as well...

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Filed Under: australia, censorship, obama

17 Comments

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tim, 30 Mar 2010 @ 12:20am

please
dont say "Australia's" internet censorship plan. Its Stephen Conroy's plan, and everyone here hates it. And him. I can see it being a big issue come next election, byebye government.
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sinsi (profile), 30 Mar 2010 @ 12:24am

Re: please
Well, wasn't it Family First's plan - to get them to vote with Labor? Anyway, the government will probably dump it as 'unfeasable' before the election.
There are a lot more pressing issues in the electorate than this.
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Nick Coghlan (profile), 30 Mar 2010 @ 2:02am

Re: Re: please
Yeah, better to say "Steve Fielding's" plan, rather than Conroy's.

It's Labour trying to keep the right wing nutters on side so they will approve legislation that Labour actually care about in the Senate.
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Richard (profile), 30 Mar 2010 @ 3:43am

They might carry more weight if the Senator behind the legislation (Stephen Conroy) paid attention to them too. In a recent radio segment he was asked specifically about the US raising concerns about the filter, his response was "I haven't been told anything". Which makes sense, there are channels that have to be followed, so the US guys would be talking to Australias foreign affairs people, not to the communications minister. Still, you'd think somebody might have passed on a memo.
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CMK (profile), 30 Mar 2010 @ 4:43am

Stephen Conroy's plan
Be it Steve Fielding's plan or Stephen Conroy's plan (since they both seem to support it)... it's a ridiculously stupid plan. Yes, it would even be possible to base the next election on it, as it is so incredibly controversial. Someone really should tell someone to drop it like a hot potato, before it causes any more damage. The question is: Who is going to yell loud enough that such a disengaged communications minister can hear?
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Anonymous Coward, 30 Mar 2010 @ 4:54am

I'm sure ACTA is a much better plan. They should just sign on to that one.
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Anonymous Coward, 30 Mar 2010 @ 5:34am

Well as of this arvo he says he's heard nothing from the Obama administration : http://tinyurl.com/ycnk2nm

'Senator Conroy also said he was unaware of complaints the Obama administration said it had raised with the government over the policy.' March 30, 2010 - 1:15PM (AEDST - GMT+11) Posted 1130pm (to avoid confuserificationisming people).
But yeah, the filter is sadly an attempt to get a few votes in parliament from some crazies who will likely want Darwsinism banning next.. sigh
-
Dim Australia as Country
Australia.TheLuckyCountry = False
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Yeebok (profile), 30 Mar 2010 @ 5:39am

Above was me, sorry for the AC
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NAMELESS.ONE, 30 Mar 2010 @ 8:23am

Chronoss warns the USA about its censorship plans
ya know ACTA
so shut up mister presidenta
youra just as bad
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Anonymous Coward, 30 Mar 2010 @ 8:50am

Obama says a lot of things.
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BearGriz72 (profile), 30 Mar 2010 @ 12:27pm

Re: "confuserificationisming"
Today's Word of the Day... :-D
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V (profile), 30 Mar 2010 @ 4:34pm

Re:
none of which he follows through with
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meanie, 1 Apr 2010 @ 11:38am

- my vote will be anonymous too
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meanie, 1 Apr 2010 @ 11:48am

- curses -

- is this an April F00ls joke?

- the leaked list of banned sites did have a Queensland Dentist on it didn't it?

- in all seriousness, this move by the Labour Government had pushed alot of young, computer and internet savvy voters away from them.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Apr 2010 @ 4:50am

Re: Re: please
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jus, 23 Jun 2010 @ 5:56am

Re: please
sadly both parties are the same and they don't work for the people but big business aka "new world order".. they(nwo/illuminati) want us monitored ..they will get it.. they want us licensed and chip and sterilised ..they will get it. fucking government has hijacked the world and is on a plan of one world government where the eliteare the sovereigns alone. 1984 is really 2010.
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lrobbo (profile), 30 May 2012 @ 12:21pm

The US telling the Aussies what to do, wtf
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