Internet filter plan delayed | Gold Coast Technology | Tech News for Gold Coast, Australia
Internet filter plan delayed
Three of Australia's major telcos have agreed to block online child pornography.
THE federal government has again delayed the introduction of its proposed mandatory internet filter while a review of classified material is undertaken.
While the review is under way three of Australia's largest internet service providers have agreed to voluntarily block online child pornography material.
Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy says some people are obviously concerned about whether current classified material reflected community views.
Legislation to impose mandatory internet filtering would therefore be delayed until the review was completed, Senator Conroy said.
Labor's moves to block access to material such as child pornography and other illegal content have been criticised by some of the world's largest providers of internet services including Google and Yahoo.
Senator Conroy announced on Friday that Telstra, Optus and Primus will block a list of child abuse URLs - internet addresses - compiled by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
However, representatives from Telstra and Optus would not say unequivocally whether they supported the government's proposed internet filter.
The telcos agreed to block child porn material from being accessed by Australian internet users while that review of Refused Classification (RC) content was under way.
"We support the review that was announced today, we support and are willing to voluntarily commit to the blocking of the ACMA list of child pornography sites and we'll continue to work constructively with the government as it undertakes this review," Telstra public policy and communications director David Quilty told reporters in Melbourne.
Mr Quilty said the blocking process was expected to take several months to get up and running.
Optus government and corporate affairs director Maha Krishnapillai said the telco had agreed to filter child pornography where it could.
"We'll have to wait and see what the review comes out with, but we've said all the way through this is about blocking the worst of the worst," he said.
RC content includes child abuse material, bestiality, rape and other extreme violence and terrorist acts.
Senator Conroy remained adamant that the internet filter proposal did not amount to censorship.
"I don't think any Australian actually tries to describe blocking child pornography or bestiality or pro-rape websites as censorship," Senator Conroy told reporters in Melbourne.
Latest stories from our news sites
-
Today
Rain
14°C/23°C -
Tomorrow
Sunny
13°C/23°C
Most Popular
- Bali orphans receive helping hand
- Jackson lovechild claim denied
- Biker overcomes demons to ride again
- Spears hit with harassment claim
- Stewart, Dakota kiss restricted
- Jolie pleas for Pakistan flood victims
- Katie Homes focused on Suri
- Gaga book lifts the lid
- Noel Gallagher praises rival
- Jobless rate 5.1% in August
Special offers
Virgo
24 August - 23 September
Party hard over the next few days as it will be all work and no play in the coming month or two. If you exhaust yourself too much, you may be hard pressed to find... More Horoscopes »
Select your zodiac sign
Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces
Recent Comments
Add a Comment »
Posted by clappers from Wilsonton, Queensland
09 July 2010 6:09 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
So if Google collecting unsecured data is viewed as unlawful or maybe an act of terrorism, would Google be blocked. This under achieving public servant has been hot for them ever since they came out and publicly ridiculed his idea of internet censorship. I don't follow politics much, but it seems like this bloke has done nothing else for Australia since he was elected but work on trying to find a way to force internet censorship on to a majority of people who don't want it. It seems more like a personal crusade.
Posted by gatto101 from Maroochydore, Queensland
10 July 2010 6:25 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
Does anyone seem to care that this bill will allow the government to control everything you watch, see, read, or learn on the internet ( Refused Classification (RC) content) allows the Government to block anything they don't want you to see or read.
There are only a few other countries that control the internet for their citizens. That would be China, North Korea, and Iran. It is good to see that Australia will join the list.
All this bill does is allow the government to openly follow your every move on any computer in Australia and completely remove any information they don't want you to know about. Whats next listening to your phone calls, watching you when you walk down the street or drive your car by CCT ? You already let the government do this.
It is absolutely disgusting to allow a democratic country's government to spy on its citizens for no other purpose then to control their access to information. What makes it worse to use child abuse as the reason is truly inexcusable.
Legalize Freedom
Posted by ThePeanutGallery from Buderim, Queensland
12 July 2010 9:44 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
I am comfortable with a classification system that at least gives us an indication of what sort of 'content' I am likely to be exposed to. How that is maintained and kept current from the perspective of a) changing societal values b) the never ending generation/production of new content would seem to be an almost impossible challenge.
I dont think many would disagree that what society currently views as pretty unsavoury, distasteful, perverted beyond generally 'accepted' social norms, should be banned or criminalised or legislated against. Given that this is the path of least resistance why then is there not more effort focused on the source of the undesirable content?
Why are we trying to cobble and kneecap the Internet - yes it is the delivery vehicle for dodgy content; but it is merely the delivery vehicle, not the source of creating it. Address the problems, not the resultant symptoms?
Posted by Drop_Kick from Mount Morgan, Queensland
12 July 2010 10:58 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
The Australian Government do enough spying on the internet now as my computer is hacked by them all the time using ISP and other means such as Media
Posted by Drop_Kick from Mount Morgan, Queensland
12 July 2010 11:06 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
The good side of the internet far out weights the Bad and there is no need to spy on any Australian if you ran a decent Government we would not have a problem, try to concentrate on the main issues like better conditions for the working class as they provide the main source of revenue for your government to function, I have not heard on any control in the US, besides if our departments did their job correctly we would not have half of the rubbish walking the streets.