Australia intends to introduce filters which will ban access to websites containing criminal content.The banned sites will be selected by an independent classification body guided by complaints from the public, said Communications Minister Stephen Conroy. A seven month trial in conjunction with internet service providers found the technology behind the filter to be 100% effective. However, there has been opposition from some internet users. Twitter users have been voicing their disapproval by adding the search tag "nocleanfeed" to their comments about the plans.
Australia intends to introduce filters which will ban access to websites containing criminal content.
The banned sites will be selected by an independent classification body guided by complaints from the public, said Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
A seven month trial in conjunction with internet service providers found the technology behind the filter to be 100% effective.
However, there has been opposition from some internet users.
Twitter users have been voicing their disapproval by adding the search tag "nocleanfeed" to their comments about the plans.
One of Australia's top communications experts says the Government's internet censorship trials were designed to succeed from the outset, presented no new information and are now being used by the Government to further its political agenda. His comments came after the Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, yesterday announced he would introduce legislation before next year's elections forcing ISPs to block a secret blacklist of "refused classification" (RC) websites for all Australian internet users. Separately, a report into the scope of content that will be caught up in the net filters concluded that the Government's policy may see a wide range of innocuous material disappearing from Australians' computer schemes. Commentators in Australia and overseas have interpreted Senator Conroy's policy as pushing the country towards repressive regimes such as China and Iran.
One of Australia's top communications experts says the Government's internet censorship trials were designed to succeed from the outset, presented no new information and are now being used by the Government to further its political agenda.
His comments came after the Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, yesterday announced he would introduce legislation before next year's elections forcing ISPs to block a secret blacklist of "refused classification" (RC) websites for all Australian internet users.
Separately, a report into the scope of content that will be caught up in the net filters concluded that the Government's policy may see a wide range of innocuous material disappearing from Australians' computer schemes.
Commentators in Australia and overseas have interpreted Senator Conroy's policy as pushing the country towards repressive regimes such as China and Iran.
