Monday, December 01, 2008

Internet Censorship

I'm very concerned with the new government proposal to censor our Internet by creating a private blacklist of sites that contain "unwanted content".  

The Australian Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, is ignoring the massive uproar of Australian citizens and, not only is he going ahead with his oppressive censorship scheme but he is expanding the list of censored material to block pretty much anything that the he or anyone else in the Government deems unfit.  It seems that no matter how many people cry out, no matter how many angry phone calls and e-mails are sent, he is of the opinion that he has the power and he shall do whatever he wants!

Please take the time to read the following items.
Despite the debate and despite the politicians wanting to implement this censorship scheme, Telstra - the company that pretty much owns the copper that most people use for their broadband and also owns the most extensive 3G network in Australia - say that the scheme is impossible to implement.  Telstra, iiNet, Internode and just about every IT professional in the country is telling us that this trying to implement this scheme will cost enourmous amounts of money - only a small fraction of which will actually be paid by the Government, the rest of the cost will be passed onto the consumer - and in the end, it won't work.

Technically the scheme is impossible to implement.

It will cost many millions of dollars trying to implement it, most of which will be paid for with higher Internet access costs to the consumer.

If it is implemented, the Government will decide what is suitable for you to look at, read, watch or listen to online.

I signed the petition at GetUp! Action for Australia.  GetUp! sucessfully rallied to help  get David Hicks out of Guantanamo and sucessfully fought for Work Rights in Australia and are now on the case for Internet Freedom.

Save our Internet... again!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry mate, but what a load of bullamakanki....
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There has been no "massive uproar" from the Australian public. There has been massive uproar of some sections of the community, and mostly due to misleading, incorrect and exaggerated claims and statements likes your's here...
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There is stuff deemed illegal in Australia, and this censorship authority has been around for over 100 years, applying controls over print, photo, film, TV etc media. I saw no "massive uproar" about this at all. Nothing, nada, nichts, zero...
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Now that the same law should applied to this media as all others, and nothing more, there is "massive uproar"..
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In the blogosphere perhaps.
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In the industry most people are simply asking what is going to be done and how is it going to be done, and as most western civilisation companies (not China or Saudi...lol) already have content filtering, albeit without massive uproar, most people are just waiting to see the facts of how it will work.
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Not the hysteria coming mostly from ISPs and "freedom fighters".
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Facts first, analysis later. Works better.
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Hysteria first and apologies later got G.W. Bush voted in twice...

Mick Thackray said...

Wow dude, it's awesome that the feds actually took the time to PERSONALLY comment on yer blog. I'd feel speshul....

ROFL at the previous commenter...

(Srsly ppl its all good, let them take away your freedom quietly, and there shall be no more trouble)

This has gotta be about the most alarming thing i have EVER read

Get TOR while u can..you may not be able to later - google it

JonDgar said...

I don't recall G.W.Bush ever apologizing. See my full response to this comment in my next post at:

http://dgar.blogspot.com/2008/12/load-of-bullamakanki.html

The local news paper is called 'The Observer'.... I wonder...