[AusNOG] Internet Filter Delayed Until 2011

[Mark Newton]

On 09/07/2010, at 3:28 PM, Narelle wrote:

> I note it is a 2008 article. What is the current status of that block?
> Surely the proof of the pudding is whether the block was removed
> promptly it was deemed inappropriate?

It had to be removed.  Blacklisting that single URL on Wikipedia 
caused the near-complete melt-down of the censorware installed at
many of the UK's largest ISPs, causing Wikipedia to be totally 
inaccessible for a large chunk of the UK population.

The resulting backdown was a significant black-eye for the IWF.
Not only had they very publicly proved that their blacklist ISN'T
and probably NEVER HAS BEEN what normal people would consider to
be child pornography, but they also showed that having identified
objectionable content they were unable to successfully block it :-)

> There are many people that are utterly convinced they cannot do a darn
> thing to maintain their computer, yet they swear by the benefits of
> the many online services they use. Surely there is room within our
> market for such an opt in system?

There is -- Webshield is one such service, has been in business for
years, has had significant free publicity since 2007 owing to Anthony
Pillion's intimate engagement with Conroy during the development of the
Government's censorship policy.

They have about 6000 customers nation-wide.

I've long maintained that the only thing the Government needs to do to
satisfy its policy aim is to ensure that at least one, perhaps two 
filtered options are available to anyone who chooses to use them.

In that context, today's movements are basically as far as the 
Government needs to go:  Telstra, Primus and Optus can service literally
anyone in Australia who wants internet access, so if that's what customers
want they can go their hardest.

... but then the Minister goes and ruins it all by saying that having
achieved that outcome he STILL wants to go further.  Meet the new 
boss, same as the ol' boss.

  - mark

--
Mark Newton                               Email:  newton at internode.com.au (W)
Network Engineer                          Email:  newton at atdot.dotat.org  (H)
Internode Pty Ltd                         Desk:   +61-8-82282999
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