Conroy says filter demise a win for community consultation

Stephen Conroy, Australia’s Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, as spun the decision not to introduce a comprehensive internet filter as a win for child protection advocates. Speaking to ABC Radio’s AM program, Conroy said “we've actually reached agreement with the industry to block child …

[Big-nosed Pengie]

Actually a victory for people who know stuff as opposed to those who don't.

[mr. deadlift]

hell yeah!

fuck conroy that fucking idiot, guess i rented my overseas server for nothing... or did i?

[Anonymous Coward]

So Conroy has "...successfully negotiated banning child pornography...". I was under the impression that this was already illegal. Does he really think that banning something that is illegal is a win or am I missing something?

Rather than wasting money on attempting to introduce mandatory blocking of sites on a secret list, wouldn't it be more fruitful if the various enforcement agencies cooperated on an international basis to identify these sites, monitor who is using them (if possible - I know you'll only catch the low-hanging fruit this way since anyone with half a clue will at the very least be connecting through a proxy of some kind), then shut them down. That would seem the sensible approach, assuming that "protecting the children" is your actual goal rather than gaining control over what your population is allowed to view on the web.

[James 100]

Slippery slope

The problem is this does not "ban" it - as you say, it's already illegal - but sets a precedent and puts in place a mechanism for *filtering* it.

"We only use the filter to block child pornography - that's ok, because the stuff's already illegal anyway, right?"

"Oh, we'll be using it to block pirated software, too, because that's illegal."

"This site's making adult content available to users without a DNA sample and triple proof of ID, and that's illegal now, so we'll block it too."

As soon as the government is able to filter *some* bits of the Internet, you cross the line - moving the debate from "should the government be allowed to control your private communications?" (Hell no!) to "which of your private communications is the government allowed to block?". In the UK, we've already reached the 2nd step above, with prudish Luddite MPs already demanding that we move to step 3. With hindsight, CleanFeed should have been fought off vigorously right at the outset, since it acted as the Trojan Horse for sneaking censorship into our ISPs to begin with.

[Anonymous Coward]

So in association with the news on the call (by a senior police officer) for an inquiry into the catholic church for harbouring and protecting paedophiles does this mean that the catholic church's website will be added to the list of banned sites?

[Rattus Rattus]

So for the next phase of "Community consultation"...

...Can we call for the sacking of Conroy the C*nt?

[silent_count]

Re: So for the next phase of "Community consultation"...

"...Can we call for the sacking of Conroy the C*nt?"

It's called an election.

[Winkypop]

Hey, Australian Christian Lobby, et alii !

Why must religious fundies insist on imposing bronze-age morals(?) on 21st century mankind?

If you think the Internet is un-godly, blasphemous or just plain icky; JUST DON'T USE IT.

[Adam White]

Re: Hey, Australian Christian Lobby, et alii !

I don't know about that, the bronze age was pretty risque.People tended to wear a lot less clothing in public for one thing.

[Shane 4]

Amazing

Well I am just....... Shocked!

I now have 2 reasons to vote for labor(usually my vote is just to get my name crossed off as both sides stink).

1. NBN yes it's expensive but some idiots out there don't see the big picture later on,It will even help you wireless freaks!

2. Uncensored net The way a democratic nation should ALWAYS be

By all means pump more money into Federal Police resources and more man power to shut the child abuse/animal cruelty stuff down and work internationally with overseas law enforcement, While they are at it could they go over to Nigeria and shoot whoever is sending me scam emails every friggin' day, Thanks in advance.

[silent_count]

Re: Amazing

> I now have 2 reasons to vote for labor(usually my vote is just to get my

> name crossed off as both sides stink).

> 1. NBN yes it's expensive but some idiots out there don't see the big

> picture later on,It will even help you wireless freaks!"

a) how much does it cost?

b) is there a better way to spend that money?

> 2. Uncensored net The way a democratic nation should ALWAYS be

> By all means pump more money into Federal Police resources and more

> man power to shut the child abuse/animal cruelty stuff down and work

> internationally with overseas law enforcement, While they are at it could

> they go over to Nigeria and shoot whoever is sending me scam emails

> every friggin' day,

In one line you want an "uncensored" net and in the next you want to shovel money at the federal police to censor it.

[petrosy]

ACL neither moral or the majority

If the ACL is so hell bent on keeping children safe in Asutralia.... maybe they should focus their efforts on peadophile priests.

Everyday you open the paper and there is another article about pedo priests. The ACL and Conroyt can botyh go ...... themselves.

[bugalugs]

All this on the day

the Prime Minister has announced consideration/planning of a Royal Commission into child abuse by " institutions". Fascinating that a story about NSW ALP politicians' buddies having well-in-advance information about which farms might be worth buying up prior to coal-mining exploration licenses being granted was shuffled off to be overwhelmed by the PM's announcement. ahem.

Damn them all.