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In this Issue:

• Mandatory ISP filter due mid-2011
• Industry welcomes filter policy
• EFA: Filtering 'damages Australia's reputation'
• Google slams 'heavy-handed' filter
• Quotes of the Day

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Mandatory ISP filter due mid-2011  

Mandatory ISP filtering legislation will be introduced around the middle of 2010, after which there will be a one year period to implement and activate the filtering technology.

The Federal Government today announced it will introduce amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act, which will by 2011 require all ISPs to block refused classification-rated material hosted on overseas servers.

As part of the new legislation, the government intends to explore what additional process could be implemented around how websites are added to the government's "Refused Classification" (RC) list.

Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy today released a discussion paper seeking stakeholder feedback on how the new list should be overseen and by which agency.

"The government will immediately undertake public consultation with the release today of a discussion paper on additional measures to improve the accountability and transparency of processes that lead to RC-rated material being placed on the RC Content list," Conroy said.

It appears though that the government has already decided how the RC list will be generated, indicating it would be compiled via "public complaints mechanism". It is not clear yet what this mechanism is. Other sources for the new RC list would include known URLs shared between international agencies.

The obvious contender for the new RC list's oversight is the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which manages a list of locally hosted illegal content, and issues so-called "take-down" notices to local operators.

Options Conroy said would be considered included appeal mechanisms, notification to website owners of RC content and the review by an independent expert and report to the Parliament.

While it's still uncertain whether ACMA will be appointed to the role, Conroy today flagged that the agency would be allocated extra funds to boost the security of the RC Content list. It also intends to send automated updates to the ISPs. ZDNet Australia December 2009.

Industry welcomes filter policy  

Many in the internet industry have welcomed Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's filter report and his draft legislation to make internet service provider (ISP) level filtering mandatory, with only a few voices criticising the plan.

The first ISP to tender its response to the filtering was Primus, which had been a part of the trial. It said the blocking of refused classification content had its "full support", with the right checks in place.

"Primus Telecom believes that the introduction of an ISP filtering regime into Australia requires a balance between protecting Australians' rights of free expression and access to information with the need to improve online safety and the need to take action against the providers of objectionable content," said Primus CEO Ravi Bhatia. ZDNet Australian December 2009. more >>>

EFA: Filtering 'damages Australia's reputation'  

Civil rights and online free speech lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today criticised the government's internet filtering report, claiming civil rights implications should be the focus rather than the technology's impacts on internet speed and performance.

"The bigger policy questions haven't been addressed by this report, it's focusing on a minor technical aspect," EFA vice president Colin Jacobs said today.

ZDNet.com.au also asked Jacobs whether the EFA believed that the bulk of public outrage would be over the performance issues raised in the report rather than the civil rights implications of the internet filter.

"Our sense is that people will be much more worried about the fact that the government will have a secret blacklist that is not very compatible with our status as a democracy and a free society," said Jacobs.

In a statement released today, the EFA said it had expected the filter pilot to pass, and that the report left out several questions including what will be blocked, who will decide and the reasons for its implementation.

"So the question is, why is this policy being pursued? Especially considering there are financial costs as well as governance issues around a secret government blacklist that the public obviously doesn't have access to," said Jacobs.

Further concerns for the EFA include the blocking of websites that do not fit into the Australian Communications and Media Authority's classification guidelines, like R18+ computer games and adult material that falls outside of the X and R ratings.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy also made a statement earlier today saying that the government will be consulting the general public to "improve the accountability and transparency of processes that lead to RC (Restricted Content) rated material being placed on the RC Content list."

While the government claims that the filter will protect children, Jacobs believes that it is a waste of money and lacks purpose.

"When you're actually looking down at what this filter will accomplish, it actually accomplishes very little for children," said Jacobs, citing that the filter was primarily targeted at adults and won't protect children from harmful materials.

"I've spoken to people overseas and they're asking: what's going on down there? Are you guys crazy?" said Jacobs. "It damages Australia's reputation as a free and open democracy and as a technologically advanced and savvy 21st century country that understands how the internet works and why a free and open internet is so valuable technologically and democratically."

Jacobs gave an example of a humorous overseas reaction to Conroy's filter referring to the British ISP Association's nomination of Stephen Conroy for the "Internet Villain of the Year" award.

ZDNet Australia December 2009.

Google slams 'heavy-handed' filter  

Google Australia posted a statement today on its official blog calling the government's ISP filter "heavy handed" and outlining the search giant's concerns about the scope of filtered content.

Google's major concern is that the scope of filtered refused classification content is too wide, citing a recent report by Australian media academics, professors Catharine Lumby, Lelia Green and John Hartley.

The report found that adults may be refused access to material which is legally classifiable under Australian law. Potentially blocked material could include videos of political assassinations, graffiti art tutorials and drug use.

"Moving to a mandatory ISP filtering regime with a scope that goes well beyond such material is heavy handed and can raise genuine questions about restrictions on access to information," Google wrote in the statement.

Google stated that whilst limits should be placed on extreme material such as child pornography, the company has a bias in favour of people's right to free expression.

"While we recognise that protecting the free exchange of ideas and information cannot be without some limits, we believe that more information generally means more choice, more freedom and ultimately more power for the individual," posted Google. ZDNet Australian December 2009. more >>>

Quotes of the Day  

Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught. Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered. George Best

I'm seventeen and I'm crazy. My uncle says the two always go together. When people ask your age, he said, always say seventeen and insane. Ray Bradbury (1920 - )

Brought to you by The Quotations Page

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