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Australia Passes Site-Blocking Legislation
ausrob writes: Cementing their position as Australia's most backwards and dangerous government in recent memory comes this nasty bit of legislation, riddled with holes (which is nothing new for this decrepit Government): "The legislation allows rights holders to go to a Federal Court judge to get overseas websites, or "online locations", blocked that have the "primary purpose" of facilitating copyright infringement. If a rights holder is successful in their blocking request, Australian internet providers, such as Telstra and Optus, will need to comply with a judge's order by disabling access to the infringing location."
Adds reader Gumbercules!! links to another story on the legislation, writing: Aside from the sheer inefficiency of trying to spot piracy by blocking individual sites, there's also the risk that servers which house other, more legitimate sites, will be caught up in the net. Unsurprisingly, the bill does nothing to remedy the fact that Australians pay far more for access to media than other places in the World or that media is often not available or extremely delayed, here.
at least the title isn't editorialized...
Maybe you shouldn't elect those people.
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
While the current legislation is dangerously ambiguous, has a strong likelihood of being abused and used for overreaching chilling tactics against non-infringing entities; the Australian court system has the world's most robust and convenient supply of kangaroos, which should ease judicial proceedings under the law considerably.
there is this old man that controls a lot of media in australia
eventually all politicians end up having to go see and deal with this bloke rupert and/or his company
one way is to give in to what they want hence the "internet filter" which blocks "copyright" which they are concerned about...
what I find sad is they have no interest in actual copyright or paying artists but in shareholder returns (which they should be as its a company).
regards
John Jones
has gone back to its roots as a Prison Colony again?
This **is** a highly politicised post. And, I will make **no** comment on the 'political' outcome of, or machinations behind, this legislation.
It takes only a few seconds to see that the prism / microscope / binoculars / rose-tinted-glasses through which this story has been passed is distorting the image spectacularly into a politically charged version of what ever is the truth.
For someone from Australia, as I am, it takes about 1/10 that time, at most.
The authors have used no restraint in being 'political' in their framing of the post.
The SlashDot editors have used scant / little judgement in editing the two contributors' stories into one biased story. "Shame, shame, shame!"
Looking at space, radio, science and computing from a 'down-under' amateur enthusiast perspective.
The pronunciation of the Australian long "O" is easy.
Say 'fuel'. Now, drop the "ee-you-eh" sound and instead just say the "oo". It comes out as "F'yool".
Say "foot". Now, say it like "soot" (rather that "sort".)
Say "roof". Now, say it not like a dog saying "ruff", but with the "ooo" of "rooof".
Say "kangaroo". Now, say it without as "Kang-gar-Rooo" with the capitals meaning a bit more emphasis (aka "Em-far-siss", as opposed to "em-FAR-sis").
That takes you along the road to speaking "strine" (the local contraction for "Australian", as in "a- Stine").
an Aussie
Looking at space, radio, science and computing from a 'down-under' amateur enthusiast perspective.
was trying to mod 'funny' but clicked 'overrated' instead. whoops.
Why don't you just ask your government to block Slashdot? Surely those Abo jokes are infringing on some local comedian's copyrighted stand-up script.
Gee, how could a law like this have possibly been enacted?
People will be using less bandwidth and make the modifications to the NBN seem more justified and appropriate. :P
Did the government give them computers now?
That is just asking for trouble.
Imagine if the response to this comes from the other side?
Imagine if non-AU sites say enough and just start blocking AU IP blocks to give them an idea of what blocking can really do?
Ah, another micro dick racist wanker eh? Go away pathetic weenie.
Isn't this the model implemented by British parliament? A conspiracy nutter would think some secret machination (either military or corporate) is forcing this legislation upon countries of the world. Australia just implemented a watered-down version of the John Doe IP piracy lawsuits favoured by American corporations.
The first half of this article is just political SPAM. Any argument or discussion involving Australians will always devolve into a puerile argument of Labor vs Liberal politics, no matter what the subject matter, within 5 posts.
Either side of politics would have done this. The greens (far left progressive) would have done this. The Labor mob (union-run socialists) would have done this. As it happens, the Liberals (actually middle-road conservatives) happen to be in power when it's done.
I don't have a problem with it. I think online thievery should absolutely be blocked, along with sites facilitating terrorism, as determined by a court.
I doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with a content provider's terms and conditions and fees. It doesn't create an entitlement for you. You're not entitled to appropriate other people's property because you disagree with them.
Where did this unrealistic idea come from that all rules and laws are void, because internet?
I do not know, it was all well and good when the subject was the Polish the other day. I am not Polish or anything but I still found it immature and figured it would likely be offensive to Polish people. I suspect we have some Polish here as they have a vibrant and large tech community. I think I was the only person who said anything in the way of complaining about the antics. For an enlightened group we sure are passive about things that actually might be relevant.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."