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Oz Pirate Party Tells the Elderly How To Bypass the Net Filter
mask.of.sanity writes "When Exit International discovered it was earmarked for Australia's Internet filter blacklist, it wanted to ensure its members could access its pro-euthanasia material, but its members share an average age of 70 — not exactly from the tech generation. So Exit International turned to the filter-hating Pirate Party of Australia, which supplied a 'hacker' who taught a crowded room of grandmas and grandpas how to use proxies and advanced VPN tunnels to access Exit International's material — which the Australian government thinks breaches the moral compass of society. Computerworld has the presentation."
It'd feel odd to teach a group of old people how to access information about killing themselves.
But that's the point of the freedom of information - anyone should have the right to seek it out and access it.
We may soon need similar lessons here in the UK when we want to access those filtered sites suspected of potentially hosting copyrighted material. Damn, that sounds sad.
Currently, as a result of back room deals between the government and the Christian lobby, Australia has a moral anchor rather than a moral compass.
I always thought Australia was a developed country, economically, and politically. This Internet filter craziness makes them seem very un-democratic. What's next? Filtering the opposition party websites? Filtering any websites that has an opposing view of the current government? I don't think that next step is such a big one.
I find your ideas intriguing and would like to subscribe to your highlander.
Elderly firewalls?
Like, Norton 1.0?
Hmm.. government trying to dictate to the elderly what is moral in society. One would think that the elderly would have the most conservative view on what is considered moral.
_Vishal www.squad9.com
Too bad, there can only be one subscriber.
People have been trying to block the spread of ideas since before the invention of the printing press.
They've always failed.
If people want stuff from Exit, then they'll find a way; if not the internet, then via paper.
How would the Oz Gov justify, for example, banning a site that gave out just the address to write to Exit?
Or a site where you could leave your name and address to receive information?
I understand the motivation for blocking interactive sites for paedophiles to exchange their revolting material, but a static public information service?
Epic fail.
The federal government of Australia, due to some sort of religious-conservative influence, has been really, really anti-euthanasia for some time now. The last major time the issue came to a head was in 1995-97, when the Northwest Territory passed the Rights of the Terminall Ill Act 1995, which allowed euthanasia for the terminally ill, under certain conditions and with a lengthy process. The federal government attempted to pressure NT into repealing the law, and when it refused to do so, in 1997, the federal parliament amended NT's territory charter to specifically remove its ability to pass laws relating to euthanasia (this was possible because NT is a territory, not a state, so its powers of self-government can be reduced by simple legislation).
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
Whoa Slashdot! Why are you running stories like this? Do you want to get this site *BANNED* in Australia? Better tone it down. I suggest the only Aussie news you consider running are positive stories about the Rudd Government:
Like the one how Conroy gave a plum job for the Governent's Broadband network to Mike Kaiser, a Labor Party stooge who was previously convicted of electoral fraud. A $450K a year job without an interview for a guy who knows nothing about IT or comms and who should be sitting in a prison.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/i-recommended-mike-kaiser-for-nbn-job-says-stephen-conroy/story-e6frgczf-1225827983520
Submitted this next story to Firehose but it never ran:
"Stephen Conroy's Internet Filter has received an unexpected boost from the Australian Opposition. Instead of voting down the Filter in the Senate, the Opposition Party Leader Tony Abbot refused to articulate a definitive position on the Filter saying he would "await the final legislation and seek technical assurances from the government on the operations of the filter". Both Tony Abbot and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy who is implementing the Filter have affirmed their strong Christian faith, overwhelming anti-censorship moderates. This raises the question for those opposed to the filter: How can a Democracy work if the only two viable parties both offer the same thing?
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/web-filter-splits-opposition-20100406-rpf7.html
At least Conroy recently got a taste of his own medicine when Trend Micro's parliamentary web filter blocked politicians from accessing news commentary and train timetables."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/parliamentary-services-to-probe-trend-micro-filter/story-e6frgakx-1225850540731
While we still can
http://www.internationaltaskforce.org/faq.htm
Wait! Whats a sig?
China's filter is also bypassable. I assume want it that way. The strategy is to ensure that the young and the very concerned have ways to protect themselves individually, to avoid having them motivated to look into organised ways. A classic way to take the wind out of people power.
Expert in software patents or patent law? Contribute to the ESP wiki!
now, having its economy dominated by China, it is apparently more like a Southern outpost of the Middle Kingdom. funny though how Chinese cultural understandings of centralized thought domination and control has proven so quickly popular in Canberra
we need to keep an eye on New Zealand, make sure down there all alone in the Antipodes that cabin fever doesn't make it lose it's marbles like Australia obviously has. plus New Zealand has that domestic situation with Mordor being inside its borders
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
That's not a knife...now that's a knife!
No it's not, that's a spoon.
Yes, I've played knifey-spoony before.
As an Australian, I find it rather depressing that most Americans' "knowledge" of Australia is limited to that single Simpsons episode...
yes but take a look at the tech they grew up with
Let's see - aircraft, cars, spacecraft, telephony, television, radio. All pretty advanced stuff.
Computers: early days that meant guys/girls that could do math in their heads and later days meant huge things that took punch cards
But people in their 70s or older were the ones who fucking made computing happen. For example: Seymour Cray: born 1925. Alan Turing: born 1912.
Who is the "tech generation" supposed to be? People who are 20-30 years old? I wouldn't trust many of them to know the first thing about technology, unless you call "using Facebook" knowing about technology.
Anyway, since when was technology limited to computing and electronics? I know a bunch of 65-80 year olds who could repair a car blindfolded. How many of today's youth can even change their car's oil? How many could debug a computer program?
... and then they built the supercollider.
Australia's censor system needs a snappy title too.
Since Australia was originally used as a penal colony, I would suggest "The Australian Packet Prison". It has a nice ring to it, and I'm sure some will be offended. To top it off, it works great for Australia bashing.
What percent of 70-year-olds you know would have the first clue about bypassing an Internet filter?
Probably around 25%. Among younger people, maybe 5-10%.
... and then they built the supercollider.
I'll have you know that I got my knowledge of Australia from The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
And a fine film it was.
Also, I've been to Outback Steak House on numerous occasions.
You are welcome on my lawn.