Censor This

We all know the Government's plan for an Internet filter is a shitty idea. Here are three reasons why:

1. The filter will accidentally block legitimate material. In addition to the broad range of content that will be intentionally blocked under the scheme, trials conducted by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in July 2008 show that an I4SP level filter will accidentally block huge numbers of legitimate sites. The best technologies tested accidentally block one in 50 sites; the worst, one in 12 sites.

2. The filter WILL NOT be effective in blocking all child pornography. But the filter technologies tested so far will only affect one third of Internet traffic, because they do not apply to peer file sharing networks or email. In fact, users can very easily avoid these filters entirely using VPNs, proxies or anonymising software.

3. The filter will make the Internet more expensive. The scheme makes it mandatory for ISPs to provide Internet filtering. The government has set aside $44 million over four years, but in 2004 a Government-commissioned report found that the cost of mandatory ISP level filtering would cost around $45 million in the first year, and $33 million every year after that. Because the filter will involve technical and administrative costs for ISP, these costs will be likely be passed on to consumers.

Since the Internet is a democracy in its own right, should any government have the right to impose regulations upon it in the first place?

Here are some of the questions that people have been asking on Q and A tonight:

Some of the most visited websites by Australians, being free pornographic video sites, are on the leaked ACMA blacklist that will be blocked. Advocates for the Internet filter talk about blocking child pornography and other prohibited sexual material, but does the government have the right to block legal pornographic content such as these sites?

Given that there are already programs available for home PCs that control content and access to explicit Content - why do we need an Australia-wide Filter? And will the proposed Government Filter allow Australian adults over 18 to opt-out of the filter if they want to keep receiving normal Internet access?