Australian web filter to block 10,000 internet sites Article from: <!-- END Story Header Block --> Font size: Decrease Increase Email article: Email Print article: Print Submit comment: Submit comment <!-- // .article-tools --> Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson November 13, 2008 12:32pm <!-- Split page --> <!-- Lead Content Panel --> AUSTRALIA'S mandatory net filter is being primed to block 10,000 websites as part of a blacklist of unspecified "unwanted content". Some 1300 websites have already been identified by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Communications Minister Senator Conroy revealed details of the Rudd Government's proposed web filter as he called for expressions of interest from internet service providers (ISPs) for a live trial of the technology, the Courier-Mail reports. ISPs will test ways to filter the web using volunteer subscribers. The trial will start before Christmas and is expected to last six weeks. What's the best way to control inappropriate web content? Comment below "The pilot will specifically test filtering against the ACMA blacklist of prohibited content, which is mostly child pornography, as well as filtering of other unwanted content," Senator Conroy told Parliament today. "While the ACMA blacklist is currently around 1300 URLs, the pilot will test against this list - as well as filtering for a range of URLs to around 10,000 - so that the impacts on network performance of a larger blacklist can be examined." A spokesman for Mr Conroy later said: ''The pilot will provide an invaluable opportunity for ISPs to inform the Government’s approach. ''The live pilot will provide valuable real-world evidence of the potential impact on internet speeds and costs to industry and will help ensure we implement a filtering solution that is efficient, effective and easy for Australian families to use.'' An ACMA trial of web-filtering technology this year found it could slow internet access by as much as 87 per cent and by at least 2 per cent. Electronic Frontiers Australia board member Colin Jacobs said his civil liberties group was concerned at what would be deemed "unwanted content". "It is unclear how ACMA will scale up their blacklist to 10,000 websites and what will go on the list," he said. "Conroy said the list would contain illegal and unwanted content but we still have to see what would end up on that list. "Under the current mandate that includes adult material, which would mean most material that could be rated R and, in some circumstances, material rated MA15+."
That's funny Sea.........WR is blocked but we're not........ It seems they must know something about Brian also.........
Might have something to do with the quality of people? Milhol and Andy must have gone thru withdrawals when they got blocked.
Obviously I'm from Australia......but what the heck are you talking about? I know of the threat of the filtering. As far as I'm concerned that's good for what they invented it for...and I personally hope it works too.
We here in the U.S., have an inherent mistrust for the benevolence of government interfering with free speech or civil liberties on any level. Take gun control, for example, it is always sold as something good for the children, a means to prevent crime. The problem it that when government is allowed the power to censor, who over-sees the limits of the power, someone else in government? Its kind of like the kids minding the candy store.
Ditto; Its all about who gets to decide what passes and what doesn't. Some stuff is a gimme (no argument) explicit photos depicting children (any one under age 18) Goodbye: girls gone wild... text espousing dissent of government policies?" They"(the left,here want to declare right biased dissent as "hate speech"). Many of the views expressed here could be labled "radicalizing"
There would only be one way of countering the powers that be and their (fools) goals, and that would be to vote them out, but we all know that the sheeple will vote the same same without either knowing or caring what their policies or aims are because they are sheeple and sheeple do as sheeple do. Having said that most political parties around the world are only offering you the best of the worst, you are literally forced to vote for the lesser of the many evils, apart from here in Germany, where it don't matter really who you cast your vote for as they'll have a coalition government organised in next to no time just to ensure that democracy is stumped and New Communism has total control, and the opposition is non existent. The other way would involve a coup, naw on second thoughts that's a a no go either as Castro has proved.... Tony
I don't like being told what I can and cannot view/do/see/say either and I think there will be some kind of protest as we get nearer to it happening. The point I was making is that should they confine it to the job it has been designed for then good luck to them. I have no problem with it. Of course we could always chop their heads off and put them on poles!
