Speaking Out Against Australian Internet Censorship

edo-01 writes: "The Sydney Morning Herald has an interesting opinion column up that details some of the opposition to the federal government's net censorship laws, most notably from the government of Australia's most populous state, New South Wales. An interesting quote from the article: 'Essentially, [the federal government] does not see that the Internet in Australia has much of a future as a forum for adults.'"

Comments

Virtues

[Renraku]

In theory, the virtues that governments wish to convey look quite nice and noble. However, in practice, they do too much to restrict freedom. What's to stop any 'censorship' department from censoring what they don't like? If any Australian governmental officals hear this, freedom is more virtuous than trying to put a mask on everything. The truth is out there, however people might encounter it, the truth doesn't care.

Re:How about a techinological compromise

[DrEldarion]

The problem with that is that no one really gets porn from the web anymore, unless they REALLY don't know what they're doing.

Between Usenet, FTPs, and file-sharing programs like KaZaA and Direct Connect, there's more porn than anyone could ever look at in 10 lifetimes.

I can see blocking the adult usenet groups, but how do you block the other stuff? Ban file-sharing programs and FTP access? Not likely...

-- Dr. Eldarion --

Re:How about a techinological compromise

[radish]

One question - who decides what "adult" means? Stuff which is legal in Holland is illegal in the US, stuff which is illegal in the UK is legal in the US. And that's only comparing 3 "western" countries, when you start hitting islamic countries (and even, it would seem, Australia) the definition of "adult" changes dramatically. Until every government can agree on what should/should not be censored your plan is a dead duck.

Are you quite sure?

[jcr]

I can honestly say that the government probably doesn't see the Internet for what it really is.. An Information ground.

Perhaps they do see it for what it is, and are threatened by the idea of easy, cheap mass communication.

-jcr