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Technical Specs Released For Aussie Net Filtering

Posted by timothy on from the for-a-limited-time-only dept.

smallkathryn writes "Technical specifications have just been released for the Australian net filtering trial. The trial, which aims to prove that ISP-level filtering is a viable way to stop 'unwanted content' from reaching users, will go live on 24 December. The trial will involve ISPs choosing a commercially available hardware filter from an internet content filter (ICF) vendor, adding it to their networks, then loading the blacklist of unwanted sites. Still no indication of how peer-to-peer information will be addressed."

6 of 231 comments (clear)

  1. Encryption by vvaduva · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is the time to invest in and bring to market an encryption product to the masses in Australia. What would stop a US company from selling cheap VPN tunnels to end users down under?

    1. Re:Encryption by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What would stop a US company from selling cheap VPN tunnels to end users down under?

      Not a damn thing. Which is one of the primary reasons why this whole thing is such a stupid pointless waste of time and money.

  2. Unwanted? by Tubal-Cain · · Score: 5, Insightful

    then loading the blacklist of unwanted sites.

    Obviously someone wants these sites, else there would be no need to blacklist them.

    1. Re:Unwanted? by QuantumG · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Actually. The government's assumption is that reasonable Australians don't want to see hard core porn and other "offensive" material. You disagree? Oh, you're just being unreasonable.

      This is what decades of tolerating film and media classification has done to us.

      --
      How we know is more important than what we know.
    2. Re:Unwanted? by QuantumG · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The problem is that it is illegal to sell a film in Australia without a classification, and that the Classification Board has the right, which it exercises often, to refuse classification. This effectively bans films which are considered "offensive".

      My solution would be to make all films immediately R18+. You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase them. If the distributor wants to apply for a lesser rating, they can do so. Now all the "think of the children" morons are placated and the rest of us can watch a movie revolving around the abusive home lives of teenage skateboarders without the government getting involved.

      --
      How we know is more important than what we know.
  3. Re:Unethical by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation." - Adolph Hitler (Mein Kampf)