Slashdot Mirror
Technical Specs Released For Aussie Net Filtering
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."
I do not believe any government should censor speech. This sort of technology is ripe for abuse. There will probably be sites which "accidently" are filtered, maybe sites with unpopular political views, or legal material, such as adult pornography. As well, this sets dangerous precedents as well, that government has a right to censor things. It could set a dangerous precedent for censoring things we all agree should not be censored, like pornography of consenting adults and unpopular (communist, marxist, etc) political views.
We patch apache (patch XXX obviously) to toss back hex or D-word IP addresses when hit with them. Actually I don't think a patch is necessary; I can think of a quick and dirty way to do it in Korn with forward and reverse proxying on..huh, pretty much any apache from 1.33 on.
Then all we need to do is wait until the Aussies load so many obfuscated hosts into their border boxen that they all fry themselves and the silly idea it is will be really quite clear to anyone with opposable thumbs.
The awesome thing here is that the ISPs are now responsible for all the actions their users take.
Did Bob Aussieman pirate a movie? Well, the ISP should have filtered that out. Did Steve Kiddyporn upload/download illegal pictures of children? The ISP should have stopped it.
By even doing token filtering, they're taking responsibility for everything that happens on their network.
Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
That'll work fine unless they're using Name Based Virtual Hosts.
Regardless, as (almost) all of us know there's a number of ways to bypass this bloody stupid filter.
Disclaimer: I don't think Child Pornography should be legal. However, I very strongly disagree that the Government has the right to put in access-Level filtering, regardless of their case.
The ends DO NOT justify the means.
A Man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties -- Albert Einstein
Nothing. There already is a Swedish offering: https://www.relakks.com/?cid=gb
Senator Steven "Liar" Conroy. He has claimed over and over, that the Mandatory system he wishes to implement is of the same variety as what's in Europe. NSW calls Conroy on Euro filter fudge'
Which after a little searching one finds completely untrue. He has been questioned by other members of parliament and skirted around the issue by feeding the "Unwanted Material" line.
# cat
Damn, my RAM is full of cats. MEOW!!
I'm fairly sure one of the first things added to the list will be torrent indexes. No more TPB or ISOHunt for Australians. This is exactly what Australian media companies want: they used to have it good, they would hold over US shows and movies for rating windows and screw over viewers that just wanted to watch stuff current.
The big problem is, Australian media holds a lot of sway with the scum that is an Australian politician.
Of course you'll be able to access them in a round-about fashion. Maybe it will eventually become illegal to bypass the filter, call it hacking. Aussie freedom will go, china style.
That link doesn't actually clarify anything they merely state 'It could be any number of things' and then go on to mention things that might be banned.
It's all conjecture.
Which is part of the problem, it should be completely transparent. Actually, it just shouldn't exist in the first place, but if it did it should be transparent.