Cerberus1 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 [WRAP]http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af245/rob_williams_photo/immi-website2.jpg[/WRAP]If you've been unable to access any of the Australian Goverment websites this week, then the likely reason is as a result of cyber attacks from the activist group known as 'anonymous'. The group has been protesting at the Australian Governments plans to filter all internet traffic in the country. A spokesman for the group said they used a Distributed Denial of Service attack, involving about 500 people. The goverment websites were intermittently unavailable on the 10th & 11th & the group say that the attacks will continue. Anonymous is protesting against the Govt's plan to apply a country-wide filter to block certain content by 2011. In a separate censorship move Senator Conroy (The minister for broadband, communications and the digital economy, who ) has also contacted Google requesting that the company begins to filter YouTube content in Australia. Google says that while it complies with the laws of the individual countries in which it has a presence, it would only investigate and consider removing content after receiving a "valid legal request" about something already posted on the site. "YouTube is a platform for free expression. We have clear policies about what is allowed and not allowed on the site." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrounders Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 In a separate censorship move Senator Conroy (The minister for broadband, communications and the digital economy, who ) has also contacted Google requesting that the company begins to filter YouTube content in Australia. Google says that while it complies with the laws of the individual countries in which it has a presence, it would only investigate and consider removing content after receiving a "valid legal request" about something already posted on the site. "YouTube is a platform for free expression. We have clear policies about what is allowed and not allowed on the site." What kind of things does this Senator want 'Filtering'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus1 Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 What kind of things does this Senator want 'Filtering'? The government want Google to filter out "refused classification" videos. YouTube's rules already forbid certain videos that would be classified RC, such as sex, violence, bestiality and child pornography. But the Australian definition of "refused classification" extends to more controversial content such as information on euthanasia, material about safer drug use and how to commit minor crimes. Google has rejected the request. Google's head of policy in Australia said "RC includes the grey realms of material instructing in any crime from graffiti to politically controversial crimes such as euthanasia, and exposing these topics to public debate is vital for democracy.'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrounders Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 The thin end of a very large wedge.... Maybe the good Senator thinks he's really living in China? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus1 Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 Aside from the censorship issue, my biggest concern is the impact the filter may have on speed. Broadband here is hardly lightning fast anyway. According to Wiki, in the trials the Government have been running: One filter caused a 22% drop in speed even when it was not performing filtering; Only one of the six filters had an acceptable level of performance (a drop of 2% in a laboratory trial), the others causing drops in speed of between 21% and 86%; The most accurate filters were often the slowest; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest31881 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Here is a link to ABC news about what the government here want to filter, Green light for internet filter plans - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Some of the members in UK may not be aware of this proposal by Australian Government Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerberus1 Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 Here is a link to ABC news about what the government here want to filter, Green light for internet filter plans - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Some of the members in UK may not be aware of this proposal by Australian Government I read the article and some of the comments and this sums it up for me. "It is important that all Australians, particularly young children, are protected from this material" (Quote from Senator Conroy)and the posters comment?? Since when does the Australian government decide what material I need protecting from?While I've no interest, in accessing any illegal material, I have to agree that as a mature adult, I should be able to make the decision on what I need protecting from. One of the posters suggested an opt in/opt out option, the default being 'opt in' which seems like a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest31881 Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Actually I do find it quite frightening that as an adult I will be told what I can and cannot look at. I do not access "Adult sites" or anything that would normally be censored. But I do worry that once they start filtering, then will we be told what has been censored. It would be very easy for an over zealous minister to start banning sites that did not agree with the 'Government of the days' opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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