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Australia's Censored URL List Remains Hidden

Posted by timothy on from the what-you-don't-know dept.

kinsalis writes: "There is an article about the Electronic Frontiers Australia's failed attempt to have access to a list of sites which where deemed worth of censorship under Australian Internet censorship law. While it stands to reason that most of the sites would be child pornography, what is to stop someone slipping in any old url if no one can check the list?"

6 of 250 comments (clear)

  1. How does the censorship work? by Bonker · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Are IP's blocked? Are DNS lookups merely prohibited?

    In almost all cases, an anonymous proxy will get around these guys. (We miss you, Safeweb!) If it's just DNS lookups being probhibited, there are many, many public DNS servers as well as a growing system of alternate DNS roots.

    So, to the Aussie /.ers, how has this affected you? If it has affected you, have you been able to conveniently side-step it?

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    1. Re:How does the censorship work? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Are you stupid?? Do you know how impossible it'd be to compile a list of 'mysteriously down sites' by logging every single dead or unreachable link you find, then getting them cross checked with others??? I know, let's start with most of the articles that get listed on Slashdot. Woah, must be the government!

      Especially when this censorship thing is bullshit (as in, not happening) anyway.

    2. Re:How does the censorship work? by commodoresloat · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The CIA did help fund SafeWeb. Interestingly, they did it pretty openly, with articles in Wired and other online sources announcing it. This search on cryptome should direct you to plenty of information about the CIA connection to SafeWeb.

  2. How long till this gets leaked by systemaster · · Score: 2, Interesting

    How long does something like this stay secret...serveral people must have the list, and many want it. In order to block the items on the list serveral sys admin's or similar people must have the list. Being that this is front page news on /. , it can also be said that many people would like to see the list. Hence it is only a matter of time. Correct?

    Repost forgot to login.

    --
    LinuxWorx
    Spelling errors are intentional as are gramatical error
  3. An Ominous Precedent by robkill · · Score: 3, Interesting
    The scariest part is that saying "No you can't see what we're blocking. It's too dangerous." is just a small step away from "Because it's too dangerous, trying to see what we're blocking is now a crime."

    It would be fairly trivial for a blocking mechanism to collect the IP addresses of those requesting "dangerous" content. Instant fishing expedition. Arrest and fine anyone who tries to access illegal content. Given that porn sites are buying up expired domains, someone checking an old bookmark could be in for a nasty surprise when the police come knocking on their door. Now you've slid into a state more like Turkey or Burma, where all Internet access is monitored. All justified by "protecting the citizenry from dangerous content."

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    DMCA - Chilling free speech since 1998.
  4. Law by Slurpee · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "The more laws, the less justice."
    -- Marcus Tullius Cicero De Officiis [1195]

    "...For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than
    passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase
    of crime in this country is closely connected with this.
    --Albert Einstein, "My First Impression of the U.S.A.", 1921

    Yes, you are quite right. I believe Robert Heinlien also states something simular (or quotes Einstein).