Australia to implement Chinese-style net censorship

SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
16,742
42
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A dangerous and slippery slope. I bet this will happen here eventually.
http://www.news.com.au/heralds...,24568137-2862,00.html
AUSTRALIA will join China in implementing mandatory censoring of the internet under plans put forward by the Federal Government.

The government has declared it will not let internet users opt out of the proposed national internet filter.

The plan was first created as a way to combat child pornography and adult content, but could be extended to include controversial websites on euthanasia or anorexia.

Managing director Jim Wallace said the measures were needed.

"The need to prevent access to illegal hard-core material and child pornography must be placed above the industry's desire for unfettered access," Mr Wallace said.
 

frostedflakes

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2005
7,925
1
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LOL, websites on euthanasia and anorexia? What a joke.

I really shouldn't laugh, though, because I'm sure the feds will try to pull a stunt like this soon enough. All you have to do is say you're trying to protect the children, and people will stand behind about anything, now matter how authoritarian.

Terrorism is another good one to rally the masses, although it's starting to lose its luster.
 

Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
35,644
9,948
136
Originally posted by: Sawyer
A dangerous and slippery slope. I bet this will happen here eventually.

and I quote: "You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell! "

*sigh

It's a sad day when anyone follows the Chinese-style censorship.
 

InflatableBuddha

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2007
7,416
1
0
Ridiculous.

There must be a better way to combat child pornography than broadly applied Internet filters. Of course child porn is illegal and disgusting, but I don't think this is the right way to fight it. I would imagine that some legitimate erotic content could be unintentionally blocked, and that is not justifiable under a system of free speech.

As for the other topics:

Anorexia is a serious disease, and people should be able to access information on the web to help themselves or people they know who have this disease. Blocking this content could cost lives. Unacceptable.

Euthanasia is, I believe, illegal in Australia, so that may be why they want to block those sites. I think those sites need to exist though, to keep the debate open. I feel people should have euthanasia available as an option.
 

desy

Diamond Member
Jan 13, 2000
5,446
214
106
I used to think Aussies had a pair, but they are freely allowing the nanny state to take care of all their boo boos :disgust:
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
37
91
What do you think is going to happen here once Obama and Pelosi extend government fiber to poor people? They will censor it. Once censoring internet is not as taboo, they will take it to the private networks to fight "Child porn".

Because, of course, who can say no to fighting child porn? :roll:
 

Draftee

Member
Feb 13, 2009
68
0
0
iiNet pulls out of Govt 'censorship' trials

Australia's third largest internet provider, iiNet, has pulled out of negotiations with the Federal Government over the proposed internet filtering trial.

Six internet providers have agreed to participate in the Government program to block websites such as those that show child pornography.

iiNet says it was prepared to participate in the trial, but has pulled out because it believes the Government's definition of "unwanted" websites is too vague.

iiNet's managing director Michael Malone says they only agreed to participate in the trial to demonstrate that the policy was fundamentally flawed, a waste of taxpayers' money and would not work.

He says constant changes in the policy, confused explanations of the purpose of the trial and recent revelations regarding the blacklist as clear indications that the trial is unnecessary.

"We are not able to reconcile participation in the trial with our corporate social responsibility, our customer service objectives and our public position on censorship," he said.

"It became increasingly clear that the trial was not simply about restricting child pornography or other such illegal material, but a much wider range of issues including what the Government simply describes as 'unwanted material' without an explanation of what that includes.

"Everyone is repulsed by, and opposed to, child pornography but this trial and policy is not the solution or even about that."

Mr Malone says the Government needs to rethink its approach.

"In reality, the vast majority of online child pornography activity does not appear on public websites but is distributed over peer-to-peer networks which are not and cannot be captured by this trial or policy," he said.

Looks like the Aussie government needs to think this through some more!
 
Dec 10, 2005
28,403
13,333
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Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha
Ridiculous.

There must be a better way to combat child pornography than broadly applied Internet filters. Of course child porn is illegal and disgusting, but I don't think this is the right way to fight it. I would imagine that some legitimate erotic content could be unintentionally blocked, and that is not justifiable under a system of free speech.

As for the other topics:

Anorexia is a serious disease, and people should be able to access information on the web to help themselves or people they know who have this disease. Blocking this content could cost lives. Unacceptable.

Euthanasia is, I believe, illegal in Australia, so that may be why they want to block those sites. I think those sites need to exist though, to keep the debate open. I feel people should have euthanasia available as an option.

I would imagine they mean those pro-Anorexia sites that encourage people to become anorexic.

Anyway, this is just stupid. All this garbage in the name of "protecting children".
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
As always, will start with child porn. Who could argue against banning sites that endorse child porn? Then after that it just grows and grows.
There must be a better way to combat child pornography than broadly applied Internet filters.
There is. It's called 6:00 news your name pasted with a pic because you were just arrested. Who the fvck would touch it with a 10 foot pole? Some people already do, of course, and will continue to. Nothing will stop them.
 

DukeN

Golden Member
Dec 12, 1999
1,422
0
76
Australia is a pretty intolerant/racist country compared to the rest of the developed world. Now they're quite a bit more totalitarian as well. Add in an iron-fist type ruler and it'll be the return of the SS.
 
Aug 14, 2001
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Originally posted by: DukeN
Australia is a pretty intolerant/racist country compared to the rest of the developed world.

I'm not sure if I would label it was intolerant/racist as Europe, but maybe you're right.
 

StinkyPinky

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2002
6,969
1,274
126
Originally posted by: DukeN
Australia is a pretty intolerant/racist country compared to the rest of the developed world. Now they're quite a bit more totalitarian as well. Add in an iron-fist type ruler and it'll be the return of the SS.

I was going to argue this...and then I thought about it and you're right. I lived there for a few years, they're an odd bunch and there is a bit of a racist vibe going on there.

Nice country but certainly not the utopia some people think it is.
 

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
26,907
174
106
Originally posted by: Ocguy31
What do you think is going to happen here once Obama and Pelosi extend government fiber to poor people? They will censor it. Once censoring internet is not as taboo, they will take it to the private networks to fight "Child porn".

Because, of course, who can say no to fighting child porn? :roll:

Since it's government I believe there is one absolutely right answer about what they're gonna do after providing access for people.


They're gonna tax it.


With the kind of filter the Chinese and the Ozzie's are talking about it won't be the people with access that pay the tax, it'll be the sites.

Your site will either pay an excise tax for the priviledge of using the country's communication infrastructure, or get blocked. YThere will be a sliding scale based upon the size and purpose of your site.

Government is creative only in finding new sources of revenue for itself.

Fern
 
Jun 26, 2007
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Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Originally posted by: DukeN
Australia is a pretty intolerant/racist country compared to the rest of the developed world.

I'm not sure if I would label it was intolerant/racist as Europe, but maybe you're right.

Compared to the US both AUS and EU are far, far, far, far ahead.

US invades Iraq and one city of 12K in Sweden (i think it was Sweden) takes in more refugees than US and Canada combined + 5000 people to London who didn't feel safe being Muslims in the US.

Yeah, we're so fucking racist they can't wait to move from the US and Iraq to the EU.

I'm not going to comment further on this because i know that you'll just spew emotionally charged accusations without any evidence what so ever about it, go hide in your hole and beware of the Muslims.
 
Jun 26, 2007
11,925
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Originally posted by: Fern
Originally posted by: Ocguy31
What do you think is going to happen here once Obama and Pelosi extend government fiber to poor people? They will censor it. Once censoring internet is not as taboo, they will take it to the private networks to fight "Child porn".

Because, of course, who can say no to fighting child porn? :roll:

Since it's government I believe there is one absolutely right answer about what they're gonna do after providing access for people.


They're gonna tax it.


With the kind of filter the Chinese and the Ozzie's are talking about it won't be the people with access that pay the tax, it'll be the sites.

Your site will either pay an excise tax for the priviledge of using the country's communication infrastructure, or get blocked. YThere will be a sliding scale based upon the size and purpose of your site.

Government is creative only in finding new sources of revenue for itself.

Fern

No they won't, they will let privately held companies lease the bandwidth and forward their own costs + some to the customer.

As we DO know though, privately held companies ARE charging for bandwidth.
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
37
91
Originally posted by: JohnOfSheffield
Originally posted by: Fern
Originally posted by: Ocguy31
What do you think is going to happen here once Obama and Pelosi extend government fiber to poor people? They will censor it. Once censoring internet is not as taboo, they will take it to the private networks to fight "Child porn".

Because, of course, who can say no to fighting child porn? :roll:

Since it's government I believe there is one absolutely right answer about what they're gonna do after providing access for people.


They're gonna tax it.


With the kind of filter the Chinese and the Ozzie's are talking about it won't be the people with access that pay the tax, it'll be the sites.

Your site will either pay an excise tax for the priviledge of using the country's communication infrastructure, or get blocked. YThere will be a sliding scale based upon the size and purpose of your site.

Government is creative only in finding new sources of revenue for itself.

Fern

No they won't, they will let privately held companies lease the bandwidth and forward their own costs + some to the customer.

As we DO know though, privately held companies ARE charging for bandwidth.





I'm starting to think the only things "special" that you are involved with are a bus with seatbelts and a gold-star sticker when you make it to the bathroom without a mess.
 

CrazyHelloDeli

Platinum Member
Jun 24, 2001
2,854
0
0
Originally posted by: Ocguy31
Originally posted by: JohnOfSheffield
Originally posted by: Fern
Originally posted by: Ocguy31
What do you think is going to happen here once Obama and Pelosi extend government fiber to poor people? They will censor it. Once censoring internet is not as taboo, they will take it to the private networks to fight "Child porn".

Because, of course, who can say no to fighting child porn? :roll:

Since it's government I believe there is one absolutely right answer about what they're gonna do after providing access for people.


They're gonna tax it.


With the kind of filter the Chinese and the Ozzie's are talking about it won't be the people with access that pay the tax, it'll be the sites.

Your site will either pay an excise tax for the priviledge of using the country's communication infrastructure, or get blocked. YThere will be a sliding scale based upon the size and purpose of your site.

Government is creative only in finding new sources of revenue for itself.

Fern

No they won't, they will let privately held companies lease the bandwidth and forward their own costs + some to the customer.

As we DO know though, privately held companies ARE charging for bandwidth.


I'm starting to think the only things "special" that you are involved with are a bus with seatbelts and a gold-star sticker when you make it to the bathroom without a mess.

HAHA!

 

daveymark

Lifer
Sep 15, 2003
10,573
1
0
Originally posted by: desy
I used to think Aussies had a pair, but they are freely allowing the nanny state to take care of all their boo boos :disgust:

that's what happens when you're used to sucking the teat of the queen mum. Aussies have never really been independent, ever.