I was inspired by this post on an old friend’s blog to put forward my thoughts on the insanity that is internet censorship.
For those of you who aren’t aware, the nutcases that are the Australian Government have decided that attempting to filter/censor the internet is a good idea.
Ahahahahahaha.
No.
Seriously. How can anyone think that a) this is a good idea or b) that it would work?
There are so many things wrong with this plan that I don’t even know where to start. So many others have put forth their opinions, and I believe they do a much more eloquent job of it than I would, so I shall borrow from them here.
It’s a bit crazy that something put forward as a ’save the little children from the nasty real world’ measure is not even supported by some child welfare advocates.
“I take issue with the minister’s perspective that children are themselves the danger in a sense that we have to make this decision for them because they are not capable of making it for themselves – I think there’s very little evidence to support that and plenty of evidence to show that children are responsible decision makers given the skills and information.”
Live trials of the controversial internet filters, which will block “illegal” content for all Australian internet users and “inappropriate” adult content on an opt-in basis, are slated to begin by Christmas, despite harsh opposition from the Greens, Opposition, the internet industry, some child welfare advocates, consumers and online rights groups.
Another concern, raised by David Vale (executive director of UNSW’s Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre) is this:
Another aspect was the potential for the filter, once in place, to become the subject of a repeated bidding war, depending on which minor politicians had balance of power in parliament, or who had the ‘moral panic of the day’
Welcome to Australia, the nanny state.
