Aussie protests over Great Firewall

Hundreds of Aussies turned out to protest against government plans to filter web content. The anti-censorship movement Digital Liberty Coalition (DLC) organised demonstrations on Saturday in seven cities including Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. According to reports, up to 300 protestors gathered at Sydney’s Town Hall to …

[The Fuzzy Wotnot]

No support

At the end of the day average Joe, couldn't give a monkey's about most techy stuff, providing he can get to Amazon, pick us his email and maybe BBC/NBC/whatever news service, he's sorted. Only when Joe finds XYZ favourite site is blocked will be bothered, by which time it's too late.

I believe the main ISPs in Oz have objected, with Telstra flatly refusing to have anything to to do with it. Let's see the government do exactly what "Wacky J" would do, force them to by act of government!

[Anonymous Coward]

The question should be asked:

Why to they want to access illegal material?

I bet these are the same people who would protest against ID cards. Happier to have terrorists and other in their midst than do their bit to help eradicate the problem.

[TeeCee]

Apathy rules......never mind.

".....protesters turned up in their hundreds......."

I sense a disturbance in the Force. As if millions of voices cried out "Meh!" at once and then went back to watching the TV, eating crisps and drinking Crown Lager.

BSF. Population of Oz is 21 million or so. Let's be really generous and say that several instances of hundreds of protestors gets to 10,000 in total. That's a massive 0.05% ish of the population that give enough of a shit about this one to get up on their hind legs and look bored while someone else says something about it. Yer average politician ain't going to be even momentarily distracted from his afternoon's bollock-scratching with that level of public outrage.....

[Anonymous Coward]

@AC

Awesome Troll.

[bass daddy]

But this question should be asked

When was it ever a good idea to allow any government to censor what people read?

I don't know about you but I'm an adult and am involved enough with my kids to stop them accessing anything dodgy. I don't need our dear politicians holding my hand when it comes to that.

And please do your research about ID cards and terrorists.

[david g]

Clue ?

AC forgot to mention 'they must have something to hide' to complete our picture of his cluelessness.

[Anonymous Coward]

@AC 14:32

Bingo. This site is getting better.

[Mark Jan]

Clueless

@AC at 13.35

You forgot to mention that ID Cards would by themselves also solve the problem of internet child porn, so negating the need for any firewalls, as well as strengthening childrens teeth and protecting against all childhood diseases. There's just no end to the ID card's maginficence.

Paris, because even she can't be as clueless.

[Lee T.]

Why to they want to access illegal material?

because the material on the blacklist is for the most part NOT illegal to own, view, or produce; it is only illegal to Publish in (some parts of) australia. And it will block LOTS of other things accidentally. And it'll be piss easy to bypass. And it will slow down the net.

I know, troll fodder. I'll be going...

the dirty mac, ta.

[Jedi Name Germinator]

Nanny cell block H

Aus, huh?

I've read a few things about yer country trying its best to help its citizens out with things that they need help in....

I got a GF last night by using IDHarmony by matching our Bio-thingy and barcode details...

[Frank Thomas]

Middle Australia

it sounds like Middle Australia is alot like the American South. They call it the bible belt, but it's more like the "heavily armed, heavily drunken, religious extremist belt ".

[Magani]

@Frank Thomas

At the risk of feeding a troll...

No, Frank, the Greater Antipodes is nothing like your description. We now have laws so that only criminals have guns, most people don't get pissed every night and the number of religious nutters and god-botherers is about the same as the UK.

I'd say you've never been to Oz, so why don't you come and see for yourself? Lots of fine folk from the UK have been doing that for the last 220 years. The sun's shining, it's warm and petrol is 39p / lt. So where the bloody hell are you?

Paris, because even she realises it (and the Lesser Antipodes) are the real godzone.

[Anonymous Coward]

@Frank Thomas

"it sounds like Middle Australia is alot like the American South. They call it the bible belt, but it's more like the "heavily armed, heavily drunken, religious extremist belt ".

Yes, if it were the american north it would be heavily armed, not nearly drunk enough, and atheist.

Honey, where's my assault weapon?

[Pyros]

@Frank Thomas

Calling the Bible Belt the "heavily armed, heavily drunken, religious extremist belt" is a tad bit off... they're just wacko religious extremists who tend to like listening to evangelists moreso than healthy. (And the Bible Belt is located within mid-Great Plains (and occasionally slipping to Texas, IMO.))

Now heavily armed and heavily drunken... that'd describe half of the Eastern Starboard, from NY down to the Panhandle, and across the Appalachians. They're the best chance to keep the Consitution alive, even if they look like a bunch of rednecks every now and then.

[Wombat]

@AC

It's not about accessing illegal material. It's about three concurrent issues:

One, the overtly socialiast government is striving to control access to what it deems acceptable (whether legal or not);

Two, even at 99.99% accuracy, filters would block millions of legitimate sites;

Three, our largest (and monopolistic) telco sells 256K ADSL as high speed broadband. Even as a web services business I've tried for 4 years to get better than 1.5M ADSL, and I've finally achieved 1.6MB / 384K on a static IP, that costs me AUD 200 per month (that's around GBP 85 per month for all of 5GB traffic).

What performance hit do you think I can afford, simply to pander to a left-wing religious zealot filtering everything I access?

That's a down-under smiley - everything's upside down here.

[Anonymous Coward]

OT

A dingo ate my baby!

[I. Aproveofitspendingonspecificprojects]

@ Idiot

"Why to they want to access illegal material?"

It's not a matter of what some criminals want, its a matter of freedom.

We used to have public access that was totally erased by the Enclosure Laws. We now have the freedom to walk along designated trails in British countryside but it took centuries of servility and two world wars for people to stand up for their rights.

Now our masters are keen to ensure any common connection we may hold to one another over the surface of the earth is patrolled and licensed. As if they can't do more to betray us by intercepting all we say and do.

[Adrian Tritschler]

We're from the government, we're here to help...

As stated in Mein Kampf.....

"The state must declare the child to be the most precious

treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived

as working for the benefit of the children, the people will

happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any

deprivation"

[Lindsay]

Wombat

Hah, there's nothing remotely socialist about either major party in this country.

[R Callan]

@Magani

Neither Oz nor NZ are really the Antipodes, greater or lesser. The Antipodes are a group of small islands to the SSE of NZ.

Next, a question or two. As much internet traffic from here in NZ has to travel through Oz servers, will this "Great firewall of Oz" affect NZ traffic speeds and content? If so, does this represent a "Restraint of trade"?

Perhaps these Oz pollies don't realise that they cannot act in isolation in an integrated world.

[Mr Floppy]

I would have gone to the protest

If I even knew they were on.

Funny, using the internet to organise an illegal street party is easier than organising a rally like this.

[Trix]

Just remove the "wom"

"One, the overtly socialiast government is striving to control access to what it deems acceptable (whether legal or not);"

Funny that, since the policy and initial motivation for the idea came from the LIBERALS/Nats. Of course, this Labor govt and their holy churchgoing leader promptly jumped on the bandwagon in case it lost them votes from the religious fundies. Any non-Lib govt with balls would have quietly retired the policy once elected under the rubric "too difficult to implement and ineffective, and we already provide free net nanny software to parents", but then it's one that Kevin07 still seems will Save The Chilluns.

[Mark]

Massive turnout

Contrary to popular belief the turnout of hundreds of people for a political protest in Oz is massive - a monumental achievement given that most don't trust pollies; couldn't give less of a shit about politics; and are forced by law to vote. Even then lots don't bother. Hundreds, that's like half the UK waving placards outside Parliament. If they were allowed to.

[Moss Icely Spaceport]

The Aus Senate

The Aus Senate is currently ruled by some whack-job christian minorities.

These 2-3 people are jesus-freaks on a mission to turn us all into single0minded fundies like themselves.

Bah to them

Bah to the non-existent god/spirit/water sprite, etc

bah!

[John Griffiths]

Canberra Protest

Looks like the Canberra numbers were pretty good then.

Pics and video here:

http://the-riotact.com/?p=10093

[Jason Stokes]

meh

Give us a break – it was bloody hot in Brissy on Saturday.

If they’d been giving away cold lager the turnout would have been much better…

[michael]

re:Apathy rules......never mind.

"BSF. Population of Oz is 21 million or so. Let's be really generous and say that several instances of hundreds of protestors gets to 10,000 in total. That's a massive 0.05% ish of the population that give enough of a shit about this one to get up on their hind legs and look bored while someone else says something about it. Yer average politician ain't going to be even momentarily distracted from his afternoon's bollock-scratching with that level of public outrage....."

but according to ofcom it only takes 4 pepol out of the millions that watch a program to classify as a valid compliant and get pepol fired ..strange world is it not

[Anonymous Coward]

@Magani

Having seen "Border Security: Australia's Front Line" (re-badged in the UK as "Nothing to Declare") I can safely say, from the attitude and overall loveliness of Australian Immigration, I would rather prise my eyeballs out with teaspoons than visit Australia.

Not that I have much choice at the moment with the Pound being worthless though.

[Wayland Sothcott]

Telstra not getting $15billion

Telstra has not been invited to tender for the $15billion project to upgrade the AZ Internet. I wonder why? It seems they will not agree to the Filter.

[Andrew Meredith]

Now where do I go ??

For many years, up until a few years ago, Oz was my bolt hole of choice to emigrate away from the static prison ship the UK is being converted into. Canada is too cold. I can only speak English. South Africa is too dangerous. Please don't tell me my best option is to stay here, get the bar code tattooed on my forehead and have done with it ??!!