Has the Australian government lost their minds?

[scythe]

I'm appalled.
<CENSORED> Have <CENSORED> years <CENSORED><CENSORED> proven that censorship <CENSORED> ends well?

<3 You, Scythe. Change back at your leisure. -Blizz

[wolfgang]

Whoa

Anyway, I can't believe they are going to ban anything other than truly illegal sites (child pornography etc). That article does mention the possibility of blocking all 18+ sites, but I don't believe it will happen.

[乳头的早餐谷物]

Yeah, this is pretty fucking serious. It turns out there's not going to be any way of opting out of the 'illegal content' filter—they intend to monitor and filter every single piece of internet traffic in this country. It's beyond disgusting. I take solace in the fact that the government's own reports show it's also beyond unfeasible in terms of how it's going to ruin our already slow internet. I'm certainly hoping it's all just for show and Senator Cuntroy will scrap it when the citizenry (the vast majority of whom don't support this) realise what's going to happen. Otherwise, I think I'm moving to New Zealand.

[Atilla]

;_;

I might be joining you, maestro.

[a happy song]

Whoa

Anyway, I can't believe they are going to ban anything other than truly illegal sites (child pornography etc). That article does mention the possibility of blocking all 18+ sites, but I don't believe it will happen.

It's the foundation for possibility that's the scary part. A step toward something worth moving away for.

There's a spare flat above mine (England), you guys are welcome to squat and leech my connection.

[SkyPanda]

Don't think it will ever be passed, it seems like political suicide!

[behappyy]

Woah! dude that is the craziest thing I've ever heard.

[Ad]

Whoa

Anyway, I can't believe they are going to ban anything other than truly illegal sites (child pornography etc). That article does mention the possibility of blocking all 18+ sites, but I don't believe it will happen.

It's the foundation for possibility that's the scary part. A step toward something worth moving away for.

There's a spare flat above mine (England), you guys are welcome to squat and leech my connection.

Stuff them! *drives 40 minutes down the M25 to hang with atob and yoink his fibre-optic connection*

But yeah, this is very absurd. I'm all for protecting those who need it, but this is a bit 1984.

[unoriginal name]

Yee Gods, I thought the US of A had the award for Worst Censorship in a Democratic Country in the bag, but if this gets passed. . . .

[BNW]

Wow, this seems really serious. I would feel like this is a giant breach of privacy.

[scythe]

Mas! Mas!
Oh, you silly geese. Besides, SCYTHE. BRO. HOW MANY TIMES, MAN?. Plus, any break in the filter would make it to Wikileaks, which goes to extremes to make sure it's accessible everywhere.
By the way, did the Australian government even bother to block freenet and WASTE?

[乳头的早餐谷物]

Mas! Mas!
Oh, you silly geese. Besides, this topic is about censorship. Plus, any break in the filter would make it to Wikileaks, which goes to extremes to make sure it's accessible everywhere.
By the way, did the Australian government even bother to block freenet and WASTE?

In case anyone's confused, that's not the same censorship system they're now talking about introducing. The government already provides that one, which they spent $84 million on (!?), to anyone who wants it. Incidentally, while Rudd's Labor government is the one in charge introducing this new censorship plan, that linked article explains who the real culprit is:

Family First Senator Steve Fielding, a long-time campaigner for cyber safety, said cracking the software showed the need for compulsory filtering by Internet providers.

"You need both. You need it at the ISP and at the PC level," Senator Fielding said.

"The Government has not listened to common sense and it leaves kids exposed."

A couple of years before this I remember Family First taking about ISP-level censorship and, when faced with the fact that the cost of implementing such a system would force smaller ISPs out of business, said that would be a good thing and Australia could do with less service providers.

I still can't believe that the Libs (the more conservative of the two main parties in Australia) did pretty much (you know, apart from the money they wasted) the right thing with regards to internet censorship, and then we bring in the lefter-wing party who makes deals with the ultra-conservative Christians (no matter what Family First /say/ they represent) and comes up with this. Fuck Conroy, fuck Family First. Vote for the Greens.

[notsteve]

have they lost their minds?

yes