Australia Looking at Censoring Entire Internet?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Edge, Ronald D" <edge () indiana edu>
Date: November 12, 2008 9:18:12 AM EST
To: "nnsquad () nnsquad org" <nnsquad () nnsquad org>
Subject: [ NNSquad ]  Australia Looking at Censoring Entire Internet?

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24568137-2862,00.html

Australia to implement mandatory internet censorship

Following quotes from the Australian newspaper article above:

October 29, 2008 12:02pm

AUSTRALIA will join China in implementing mandatory censoring of the  
internet under plans put forward by the Federal Government.

The revelations emerge as US tech giants Google, Microsoft and Yahoo,  
and a coalition of human rights and other groups unveiled a code of  
conduct aimed at safeguarding online freedom of speech and privacy.

The government has declared it will not let internet users opt out of  
the proposed national internet filter.

The plan was first created as a way to combat child pornography and  
adult content, but could be extended to include controversial websites  
on euthanasia or anorexia.

Communications minister Stephen Conroy revealed the mandatory  
censorship to the Senate estimates committee as the Global Network  
Initiative, bringing together leading companies, human rights  
organisations, academics and investors, committed the technology firms  
to "protect the freedom of expression and privacy rights of their  
users".

Mr Conroy said trials were yet to be carried out, but "we are talking  
about mandatory blocking, where possible, of illegal material."

The net nanny proposal was originally going to allow Australians who  
wanted uncensored access to the web the option of contacting their  
internet service provider to be excluded from the service.

Human Rights Watch has condemned internet censorship, and argued to  
the US Senate "there is a real danger of a Virtual Curtain dividing  
the internet, much as the Iron Curtain did during the Cold War,  
because some governments fear the potential of the internet, (and)  
want to control it"

Ron.

Ronald D. Edge
Director of Information Services
Indiana University Athletics
1001 East 17th St  Bloomington , IN 47408
812-855-9010  edge () indiana edu
http://iuhoosiers.com

"We must become the change we want to see in the world."
- Mahatma Gandhi

  [ The Australian proposal -- if implemented as described -- is
    the surest way to drive vast aspects of the Internet
    underground from the standpoint of Oz.  Encryption, tunneling,
    and proxies will ensure that such censorship attempts will
    ultimately fail.  However, the mind-set revealed by the
    proposal is very much one that a police-state advocate could
    fully appreciate.

       -- Lauren Weinstein
          NNSquad Moderator ]








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