Australia plans Chinese-style internet filtering.

Stephen Conroy, the communications minister, was accused of plotting a "great firewall of Australia" when he said on Tuesday that the legislation, to be introduced early next year, would require all internet service providers to block objectionable material hosted on overseas servers.

He said such material would include "child sex abuse content, bestiality, sexual violence and the detailed instruction of crime and drug use".

Senator Conroy said: "Most Australians acknowledge there is some internet content which is not acceptable in any civilised society.

"It is important that all Australians, but especially children, are protected from this material."

Similar content on domestically hosted websites can already be banned if the sites are included on a blacklist drawn up by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, a government body.

I would have never expected this coming out of Australia of all places.

It is interesting that they use the basic fears of children being abused and other societal concerns to justify this.

This could also be used to block the ATS site too!

I have provided a link to the complete article here.

[edit on 17-12-2009 by calcoastseeker]

WTF why Australia? Why would they do this? They have a constitution much like the United States that allows freedom of speech. WHY?!?!?!?!?!

LifENcircleS

Yea its a joke, 95% of the population dont want it, it is idiotic. Kevin Rudd was a very big mistake.

They have a constitution much like the United States that allows freedom of speech

I could be mistaken but im fairly sure that is incorrect, we dont have 'rights' as in a bill of rights. we technically have no real right to 'free speech', at least not one the courts need to enforce.

This is from 2002- free speach in australia

They Australian government are getting us used to life under our new Chinese masters!

Unfortunately Australia doesn't have a 'Bill of Rights' like the US which makes it easier for the governement to legislate against freedoms without much hassle.

The MSM is whipping up fears of child predators and the Australian goverment is using this as the raison d'etre for it's wide-scale attack on the internet..