Internet Filter Given Green Light in Australia.

[Cermage]

The Federal Government will introduce compulsory internet filtering to block overseas sites which contain criminal content, including child sex abuse and sexual violence.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy announced the changes today following a controversial trial to filter the internet which was conducted earlier this year.

Senator Conroy says some internet content is simply not suitable in a civilised society.

"It is important that all Australians, particularly young children, are protected from this material," he said.

"The Government believes that parents want assistance to reduce the risk of children being exposed to such material."

He says the Government will not determine what is blacklisted on the internet in Australia, rather an independent body will determine what sites are rated as RC for refused classification.

Legislation will be introduced into Parliament next year which will require all ISPs to block material which has been refused classification in other countries.

This would include sites containing child sex abuse, bestiality, sexual violence or detailed information about how to use drugs or commit crimes.

The filtering trial attracted criticism from some who said it would not work and would slow internet speeds.

But Senator Conroy says the trial has been successful.

"Our pilot, and the experience of ISPs in many western democracies, shows that ISP level-filtering of a defined list of URLs can be delivered with 100 per cent accuracy," he said.

"It also demonstrated that it can be done with negligible impact on internet speed."

Grants will also be offered to ISPs to voluntarily block other content.

After the legislation is passed the filter will take 12 months to implement.

source: ABC news

Jesus, a fair few people aren't going to be happy.

 

[Edgedancer]

This site may very well be blocked from us in the future.

 

[raing3]

Fucking Australia. No 18+ games and now internet filtering. I don't care about blocking pedophile sites and such but I hope they don't go too overboard with blocking crap!

"The Government believes that parents want assistance to reduce the risk of children being exposed to such material."

The Government is fucked in the head if they believe Australia wants compulsory internet filtering.

Rather than compulsory internet filtering I think Australia would much prefer cheaper and faster internet.

 

[nitrostemp]

if they block torrents the shit is going to hit the fan

 

[Raiser]

Australia is going fuckin nuts man... what's goin on?!

 

[Sir-Fritz]

Yeah for all we know gbatemp could be blocked if they decide its cause it details how to do illegal activity.

 

[Bladexdsl]

calm down it only blocks sites with child sex and drug sites which i neither give a fuck about nothing else.

 

[OmerMe]

This would include sites containing child sex abuse, bestiality, sexual violence or detailed information about how to use drugs or commit crimes.

Do you really care..?

 

[updowners]

[removed]

 

[OSW]

Sure, I don't care about certain types of sites being blocked, but it opens the door for restricting other things and taking it too far.

The government shouldn't be able to make a judgement on this, we are supposed to be a democracy.

 

[Canonbeat234]

Bwhahahahahahahahahahhaha, Australia is really trying hard to make their country a reasonable place to live in. Although I give them credit for not caring about millions of $$$ they are going to lose if they make this decision.

 

[Elritha]

They'd be better off trying to educate the parents of kids that they need to be supervised when on the internet.

The last part is a bit too vague, the 'commit crime' section.

 

[referencer]

calm down it only blocks sites with child sex and drug sites which i neither give a fuck about nothing else.

You are very naive, especially for someone on this site. GBAtemp is near the forefront of things that'll get blocked after people decide that mandatory filtering of drug sites and "sexual violence" is okay. I also hope you don't use any torrent sites, because they're right next to the frying pan as well.

 

[DeltaBurnt]

I knew I never should I started talking to Australia when I got drunk that one night, it gave him too many ideas.

We may also want to keep our eyes on Canada, I may have accidentally said something to him to...

 

[House Spider]

Glad I don't live there. No porn.

 

[alidsl]

Glad I don't live there. No porn.

No way I could live without that

 

[Hop2089]

Grants will also be offered to ISPs to voluntarily block other content.

What kind of legendary bullshit is this? Free money to block other content, what is this China, even China's censorship will never compare to Australia's once this is implemented. Australia will not be entitled to have anything good eventually.

~Cannonbeat

It will be billions lost from this decision and anything else they cook up.

 

[Maikel Steneker]

Sure, I don't care about certain types of sites being blocked, but it opens the door for restricting other things and taking it too far.

The government shouldn't be able to make a judgement on this, we are supposed to be a democracy.

Exactly. I'm really glad that I don't live in Australia. I hope this doesn't spread to European countries...

 

[outgum]

And this is why i live in New Zealand XD

And also, What if people want those sites?

 

[EnigmaXtreme]

Trust me if this gets through Conroys house will be burnt down by vandals and Kevin Rudds poll numbers will plummet, Only a Labor PM can be in power and still manage to screw up so badly we all vote for Tony Abbot, a man with the charisma of an Arnotts Arrowroot biscut