Yay! Australian government scraps its controversial internet filter. But...

www.abc.net.au...

The Federal Government has abandoned its controversial plan for a mandatory internet filter, five years after it was first promised. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says internet services providers (ISPs) have instead been issued with orders to block websites listed on Interpol's 'worst of' database. "We've reached agreement with all of the telco service providers that they will block the worst of the worst - the child abuse pornography material that's available on the public internet," Senator Conroy told AM.

Great news. Now the Australian government won't have the power to CONTROL what people read on the interwebz.

However... they'll still be able to TRACK what you look at, what you watch, what you post, who you text and who you email, but only for about two years

www.abc.net.au...

Australia's domestic spy agency has backed controversial legislation which would force telecommunications companies to store phone and internet data for two years. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) says basic communications data from phones and emails, such as when a call was made or whom an email was sent to, is vital for gathering evidence.

Don't buy the government's media spin about the filter. It was never a workable system and as always, was just a cover for something more nefarious.

Time to research how to bypass your ISP's attempts to retain your data. My hot and heavy dating site messages to and from lovely ladies are none of ASIO's business, so they do not need to have such material available.

Personally, I don't think ASIO is interested in your hot and heavy messages to another adult . Now if it were messages of that nature to a child, that be different.

If a scum bag is accessing info, photos, vids of children in a sexual manner. Well I hope the monitoring helps catch them. To think that someone is reading everything you write with interest is laughable. Asio dont care what 99.9% of the population do . Just IMO ..

I agree why would any government tell us the truth of what they are planning on doing lol these people in power are making our lives unbearable for a reason. Their will always be coverups regarding the governments and you can't trust the papers or news, only people we can trust is ourselves and find the real answers.

Originally posted by feelingconnected
Personally, I don't think ASIO is interested in your hot and heavy messages to another adult

. Now if it were messages of that nature to a child, that be different.

If a scum bag is accessing info, photos, vids of children in a sexual manner. Well I hope the monitoring helps catch them. To think that someone is reading everything you write with interest is laughable. Asio dont care what 99.9% of the population do

. Just IMO ..

Even then it wouldn't be ASIO, it would either be a state Police task force / E-Crimes unit or and more likely because it's internet related (and crosses into many states) an AFP matter.

reply to post by AussieNutter


Even so, I still don't believe most of the population and their net activity would be of great interest to any government or police agency.

reply to post by feelingconnected


Don't get me wrong, I wholeheartedly agree withyou.

There are the few that warrant this kind of attention, but as you say the majority of us behave when we're crusing around the www

reply to post by feelingconnected


I agree. 99.999% of Australian internet users are not a national security threat. Nor are they criminals. So why the blanket data retention?

Here's an idea ASIO - if the bad guys are becoming more conversant with technology than you are, then how about you pick up your game? Of course there's an easy answer to that particular question - it's not just about Islamic terrorists, communists, eco-criminals or right-wing extremists, it's an open door to all-pervasive mass surveillance of the population - the old East German STASI's wet dream.

It's coming down to the old argument used by totalitarian and surveillance states from the beginning - "if you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear." "If you want privacy online then you must be a terrorist or a child molester".

If all this is to stop paedophile gangs, is it really necessary to intercept and retain ALL electronic communications originating in Australia? Aren't AFP, overseas LE agencies and INTERPOL already very successful at detecting, infiltrating and shutting down the paedo gangs? Why do the rest of us have to lose our internet privacy and anonymity when the bulk of the illegal activity happens on the encrypted TOR networks...? Oh, now I see.