You’re only minutes away from understanding the facts on the Australian Government’s mandatory Internet Filter which is coming later this year according to today’s reports. I know you’re excited to get your head around this so read on.
THE Prime Minister will push ahead with controversial plans for a mandatory internet filter despite acknowledging public concerns that it will interfere with ”legitimate use”.
In Julia Gillard’s first comments on the filter since becoming Prime Minister, she told ABC radio in Darwin that the proposal was an effort to control the ”dark side” of communications technology.
”Images of child abuse, child pornography – they are not legal in our cinemas,” she said yesterday. ”Why should you be able to see them on the internet? I think that that’s the kind of moral, ethical question at the heart of this.”
Ms Gillard indicated that the Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, might tweak parts of the proposed filter before it is introduced.
What is the internet filter? What are the repercussions for us? Why would it be introduced?
Who better to turn to than Mamamia top knowledge contributor Julie Cowdroy who provides us with this spin-free cheat sheet.
[note: Before reading the cheat sheet, remember it is useful to use the glossary of terms at the bottom].
What is the government proposing?
.
There are two tiers to the Government’s filtering proposal. Tier one is a mandatory internet filter for all Australians. This filter would block content considered to be RC, which means Refused Classification. Currently most people filter content at the PC (Parental Control) level, meaning individuals block content with downloadable software at their own discretion. An ISP (Internet Service Provider) level filter would mean content deemed offensive by the government would be blocked by ISPs for us.
Tier 2 is an optional level that would provide a “clean feed” that censors adult material. This cheat sheet focuses on Tier 1 – the ISP level mandatory internet filter.
What is considered RC content?
Includes:
Content that promotes or provides instruction in pedophile activity
Descriptions or depictions of child sexual abuse
Detailed instruction in crime or violence, and the use of illicit drugs
Depictions of bestiality
Sexual violence
Sexualised nudity or activity involving minors
What are some reasons not to have a national filter?
Content such as child pornography is mainly spread in peer to peer forums which this filter technically won’t be able to stop
Could block legitimate sites
Could miss many sites that fit criteria to be blocked
Could be a legal issue as current Australian classification law requires personal individual judgement, not using technical methods such as word recognition or other automated systems
Freedom of information is a human right (Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
Could slow down internet speed
Many parents believe it should not be up to the government to decide what information gets filtered
There are other more effective ways to protect children from obscene online content
There may be disagreements on what content should be blocked. For instance, dissidence is not tolerated in the countries that currently have mandatory online content filters
Could be a barrier to international trade
How much would it cost?
$44 million over four years, however other estimates suggest it would cost $45 million just in the first year. ISPs would have technical and administrative costs that could burden their businesses.
Is the government currently filtering any websites?
The ACMA (see below) doesn’t have a mandate to search for prohibited material. However, if they receive a complaint about a site, they can investigate it and place it on the blacklist.
What’s on the blacklist?
The blacklist is not accessible to public, however, Wikileaks obtained a list and published it on their website. The list includes child pornography sites, as well as an explicit abortion site and the Danish Wikileaks page that listed the blacklist.
What kind of groups would like to see a mandatory internet filter?
Conservative Christian groups
Copyright lobby groups
What other countries have a mandatory internet filter?
Iran, China, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, North Korea. Australia would be the fist western democracy to introduce a filter.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ISP: Internet Service Provider
ACMA: Australian Communication Media Authority. An Australian government agency whose role includes regulating internet content standards.
RC: Refused Classification content would be prohibited by the mandatory internet filter
Blacklist: ACMA list of prohibited content based on a complaints mechanism
Firewall: a technical barrier that prohibits illicit connections between computer networks
ISP level filter: Content is blocked by mechanisms set up by ISPs
PC level filter: Content is blocked by individual users with downloadable software
Here is a video from GetUp! you might like to watch:
SOME WAYS TO THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE:
1. As a protection issue. Who does the filter seek to protect? What does the filter protect us from? Who decides what information comes into our homes and on what grounds it comes? (OK, I was being cheeky with the last question).
2. As a human rights issue. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
3. As a copyright issue. It has been suggested that starting with a mandatory internet filter that blocks such sites as child pornography is just a guise for film and record companies who seek to eventually censor pirated material.
4. As a democratic issue. We vote for representative government based on what we know about individuals in power and their policies. The World Wide Web gives us access to more information now then ever before, and many more are entering into the political discourse because of this access.
Thanks Julie. Your Cheat-Sheets are sublime. I so often find media reports are so focussed on analysis or moving stories forward that they often don’t have time to cover the basic facts. So you can feel stupid for asking the most basic questions. No such thing as that here. If you want to ask some other questions, Julie may be able to help. But here are some questions from me:
How do you feel about a government censor in the interest of security for you and your family? Is there a better way to protect minors? Do you consider full access to the internet a human right? Could you function in your democracy knowing there was a government filter? Is there a better way? What do you reckon?
