News
A Filter-Tipped Web?
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has suggested controls are needed to "address the range of issues and challenges faced by families when they are online".
He has proposed legislation to "require all ISPs to block material rated Refused Classification that is hosted on overseas servers".
What Senator Conroy has suggested goes well beyond any mechanism approved by the Australian public to limit their access to the web. The government has no mandate for anything other than opt-in filtering of the internet.
And there are good reasons for that.
We let individuals indulge in unhealthy, anti-social, expensive and increasingly unpopular habits like smoking cigarettes - even though we know this freedom comes at a terrible cost to the individual and the community. No-one gets arrested for smoking tobacco, unless they do it in the 'wrong' place. We all know neither tobacco product manufacturers nor smokers are held to account for what they cost the community, but we don't want to impinge on the right to smoke.
We let people drink alcohol to excess - even though we know it creates and exacerbates vast and unmanageable problems in social and domestic violence, community and race relations, health and poverty. Not to mention the road toll. We don't arrest people affected by alcohol until they have committed a crime. We all know that's way too late, but we don't want to impinge on the right to drink.
We let people gamble away all their money, repeatedly and over time - even though we know that the financial and social cost to the community far outweighs the money that governments gain by taxing gambling. We don't arrest people for throwing away their money. We all know gambling is most prevalent among people least able to afford it, but we don't want to impinge on the right to bet.
And Senator Conroy wants to arrest me for looking at a website that explains euthanasia? The pros and cons of helping a dying person shorten their agony? That's just wrong.
Despite its honest and admirable aims, the internet filter proposed by Senator Conroy is out of step with Australian community standards. It makes choosing to view certain web content a crime in the interests of preventing a possible future crime that may or may not be committed. We don't do that with tobacco, alcohol or gambling.
When this - or any - Australian government can get the nation as a whole to approve laws that make alcohol, tobacco and poker machines illegal because they sometimes might contribute directly to crime, THEN you can consider censoring the internet for the same reasons. You might also want to take out all the books in the public library that explain nuclear physics, how to change SIM cards in a phone and how to load a gun. Good luck selling that message to the Australian public.
All of this assumes, of course, that ISP-filtering will actually work - that it will prevent people from accessing material that is morally unacceptable or likely to lead to crime. And here's where the argument against the filter becomes overwhelming. Because it won't work.
At a technical level, Senator Conroy is kidding himself - and the community - if he thinks a filter is going to stop people accessing illegal material on the web. We can't even come up with a way to stop 14 year olds hacking government-issue school laptops! We can't stop people setting up Facebook pages that taunt the families of hate-crime victims. We still have no answer to cyber-bullying.
People who seek out child pornography or bomb-making procedures will not be inhibited by an ISP filter. All it will end up doing is limiting web access by people who aren't looking for that stuff anyway. Access by people who do look for it on Google - because they are young, naive, misguided or corrupt - is better managed by individual filtering at the user end. But the real baddies won't be Googling for open websites because that isn't the most effective way for them to receive and distribute offensive material.
Personally, I don't subscribe to the notion that all of this is just the Government playing politics, trying to gather support in the lead up to the next election by pulling out the "Don't you want to stop child pornography"? card. I believe Stephen Conroy is genuine in his wish to help stop some of the most repugnant behaviour in our society. I also believe he is misguided, misinformed and has no hope of succeeding in his intention of impeding child sexual abuse or terrorist acts by imposing an ISP-based filter on internet access.
This government, and all governments, will have to take a bit more responsibility than that, in educating consumers and providing cost-effective means to control internet access at the individual level. In a world where we accept and endorse the right to a smoke, a drink and a bet - until the consequences become dire enough to be called a crime - it's always going to be difficult controlling what people browse on the web.
It's about the people, Senator Conroy, and for that reason you could do worse than talk to us. Because we're the designers, developers, usability experts, information architects and content managers who built and continue to grow the web, who set up the access mechanisms and who load the content. It's our job to analyse and understand how and why people use the web, and to do it better than anyone else you seemed to have consulted so far.
The reality is though, that none of this has much to do with the web, or the internet, or ISPs and filters. That people do seek out this material is a reflection on us, not on the web.
To achieve Senator Conroy's aims, it will take education, information and - especially - honesty, particularly in facing up to the apparently ordinary people in our community who sustain the international market in material related to the worst aspects of human behaviour.
That, of course, is much tougher than censoring the internet.
WIPA News
Govt 'committed to internet filter'
Date: 29-Apr-10
Author: AAP via SMH
The federal government has rejected claims it has abandoned plans to introduce mandatory internet filtering before the next election.
While legislation is yet to be introduced into parliament, a spokeswoman for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the government remained committed to the policy.
DBCDE forum reveals filter legislation not drafted
Date: 29-Apr-10
Author: Renai LeMay (Delimiter)
Electronic Frontiers Australia today revealed what it said was evidence that Stephen Conroy's department was hosting a protected online forum to discuss controversial issues about the Government's internet filter initiative, including the lack of a complete draft of the planned legislation as of several weeks ago and the possibility of making it an offence to promote methods of circumventing the filter.
Rudd retreats on web filter legislation
Date: 29-Apr-10
Author: Nicola Berkovic (The Australian)
KEVIN Rudd has put another election promise on the backburner with his controversial internet filtering legislation set to be shelved until after the next election.
Web developer asks Conroy to remove script
Date: 02-Mar-10
Author: Andrew Ramadge - News.com.au
THE web developer whose code was modified to remove references to internet filtering on a government website has asked for it to be taken down.
After outcry, Google revamps Buzz networking application
Date: 16-Feb-10
Author: Jeremy Kirk (IDG News Service)
Google is changing several Buzz features after users complained
Librarians voice opposition to Internet filter
Date: 15-Feb-10
Author: ComputerWorld
Group concerned filter could give parents a false sense of security
Our submission on mandatory ISP level filtering
Date: 15-Feb-10
Author: Iarla Flynn, Head of Policy, Google Australia
There has been a lot of attention around the Australian Government's mandatory ISP level filtering proposal. Google--and many of you--have argued that the proposal goes too far, with a broad-scoped filter, and a regime which takes the focus off more important areas such as online safety education and better support for policing efforts.
High Court appeal over illegal downloads looks imminent
Date: 04-Feb-10
Author: Mark Colvin ABC
It's been a big day in the courts for copyright decisions -- we'll come shortly to the case of Men at Work's song 'Down Under'.
But first the question of illegal downloading of films, TV programmes and music.
Greens welcome landmark iiNet ruling backing ISPs
Date: 04-Feb-10
Author: Scott Ludlam
The Australian Greens welcome today's Federal Court decision in favour of Internet Service Providers in the landmark iiNet case.
Child groups slam Conroy's ISP filtering plans
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Kathryn Edwards (Computerworld)
Children's rights groups have voiced concerns over the government's controversial plan to introduce mandatory ISP-level Internet filtering
Just in: Conroy going ahead with censorship
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Get Up!
Stephen Conroy has just announced his Government will censor all internet traffic with a mandatory ISP-level filter.
Govt on course with internet filter
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Bigpond business & finance
The federal government is pushing ahead with its controversial plan to filter the internet.
Net filter will restrict euthanasia info: Nitschke (ABC)
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Yahoo!7 - Technology
Voluntary euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke says the Federal Government's plan to filter the Internet will restrict information about euthanasia.
Australian Internet Censorship: No Thanks.
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Tama Leaver Dot Net
Earlier today I was interviewed by Damien Smith on RTR FM's morning magazine talking about the Australian Federal Government's plan to introduce national internet censorship. As you might imagine, I'm...
Computer says no: Google slams filter
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: ABC News federal politics
Internet search giant Google has come out in opposition to the Federal Government's push to introduce mandatory ISP filtering.
Sex Party fears end of net porn
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: zdnet Headlines
The Australian Sex Party claims popular sites Penthouse.com, Hustler.com and Redtube.com will be blocked under a mandatory ISP filtering scheme thanks to Australia's x-rated rules.
How To Protest Against Internet Censorship Laws
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: lifehacker
It's clear Lifehacker readers think the plan to make Internet censorship mandatory in Australia in 2010 is a deeply stupid idea. While there may be ways of working around the
At what point does internet filtering become censorship?
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: National Times
The twitterverse was predictably scathing.
Abbott drawn into filter debate
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: zdnet Headlines
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has today fended off questions regarding his stance on the government's legislation for mandatory internet service provider filtering.
An open letter to Stephen Conroy
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: zdnet Headlines
As a veteran IT security consultant with first-hand experience working at two of Australia's largest ISP/telcos, encompassing the installing and configuration of many of the filtering technologies currently on the
RMIT: Internet filtering alone is not enough
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: ARN
Australia's Internet filtering is only step one in a much broader strategy the Government needs to adopt to regulate the Internet, according to an RMIT University academic.
Govt goes ahead with net filter
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Sky News Business
The federal government is pushing ahead with its controversial plan to filter the internet, saying illegal material can be blocked with '100 per cent' accuracy.
Optus supports ISP filter
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: zdnet Headlines
Optus pledged support for the government's ISP filter in a statement yesterday, claiming that the policy was consistent with the telco's belief that "the internet should be a place where...
Filter pilot did not test high-speed internet
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: IT News
Will an ISP filter work in an NBN-connected world?
'Heavy-handed' filter won't help, says Google
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: IT News
Slams Conroy's filter plans.
Internet filter laws need urgent public debate
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Sydney Morning Herald Business
Yesterday's announcement by Senator Stephen Conroy that the Government will push forward with legislation of mandatory internet filtering came as no surprise.
Internet censorship gets go ahead
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Marketing Magazine
Rudd Government Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has announced that he will be introducing internet service providers (ISP) filtering legislation in an effort to bring some form of censorship to the...
Australia to join 'enemies of the internet' such as Syria, North Korea and Iran
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Crikey
Instituting a mandatory filter to achieve what almost all other Western democracies have managed voluntarily would place Australia in a category of its own for a Western democracy...
Conroy's internet filter: so what?
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Crikey
When it comes to curious kids with technically adept mates, or desperately secretive pedophiles trading their nasties, the internet filter will be nothing but a minor inconvenience.
Lundy: My filter views 'well known'
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: zdnet Headlines
Labor Senator Kate Lundy has backed away from directly commenting on the government's internet filtering policy, saying her views on the subject are "well known".
Some Obligatory Reading On The Internet Filter Issue
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Gizmodo Australia
Obviously there's a lot of debate outrage at the government's decision to plough ahead with its plans to filter the internet. But there are some responses coming from both political...
Google slams 'heavy-handed' filter
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: zdnet Headlines
Google Australia posted a statement today on its official blog calling the government's ISP filter "heavy handed" and outlining the search giant's concerns about the scope of filtered content.
Greens, EFA critical of ISP filtering plans
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Tim Lohman (Computerworld)
Growing number of dissenting voices including the Federal Opposition and Google.
ISP-level filter trial vendor happy with results
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Trevor Clarke (Computerworld)
Company at the heart of 6 of 9 ISP's content filter trials expresses satisfaction with results
Pirate Party, Greens battle Conroy's filter
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: zdnet Headlines
Pirate Party Australia has expressed its disgust at Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's announcement of legislation to make internet service provider level filtering necessary, while the Greens have vowed to attack...
A False Sense of Security
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Hoyden About Town
The internet filter will not protect kids from nasty things on the net, but will instead give parents a false sense of security leading to the very outcomes that they...
Google "concerned" over Australian mandatory ISP-level filter
Date: 16-Dec-09
Author: Tim Lohman (Computerworld)
Scope of content to be filtered is too wide, says the search giant
Budde: Worries remain over ISP-level content filter
Date: 15-Dec-09
Author: Trevor Clarke (Computerworld)
Questions will continue to be raised over ISP-level content filter according to leading telco analyst
.au Dispute Resolution Policy (auDRP) search tool
Date: 24-Nov-09
Author: Jo Lim (auDA)
auDA is pleased to launch its new .au Dispute Resolution Policy (auDRP) search tool. Since the auDRP was introduced in 2002, there have been more than 160 proceedings.
auDA invites proposals for new 2LDs, conf.au and info.au
Date: 01-Oct-09
Author: Paul Szyndler
auDA has today issued an invitation for proposals for new 2LDs and for the re-activation of conf.au and info.au.
The deadline for proposals and nominations is Monday 30 November 2009.
Get UP TV ad on Internet Censorship
Date: 09-Jul-09
Author: Get Up!
Good, clean internet censorship? Help get this advert on the air and in the air - on every Qantas flight in the country during the next sitting week of Parliament.
Australian Web Awards
Date: 02-Jul-09
Author: Ricky Onsman
The previously WA-focused web design competition run by the Australian Web Industry Association (AWIA) has gone national: entries close 7 July 2009.
WIPA Communications Manager
Date: 14-May-09
Author: Roger Hudson - President
WIPA is looking for a self-motivated person with an interest in the web to work part time for the organisation.
NZ wins FullCodePress
Date: 14-May-09
Author: Roger Hudson - President
FullCodePress 2009 competition finished yesterday and the winner was announced at the WebFoward conference that is held in conjunction with CeBIT in Sydney.
EFA gets link removal notice
Date: 05-May-09
Author: Electronic Frontiers Australia
Electronic Frontiers Australia's web hosting provider was today the recipient of a Link Deletion notice from ACMA for an article on our web site ironically entitled "Net censorship already having a chilling effect".
Misleading unsolicited emails from Asian domain name companies
Date: 30-Apr-09
Author: Adam King auDA
auDA is aware that at least two companies apparently based in China and Hong Kong have been sending unsolicited emails to people with .au domain names, attempting to mislead them into registering their name in a number of Asian domain spaces.
Time is up for Twitter
Date: 30-Apr-09
Author: The Australian
LIKE swine influenza, technologies such as Twitter race around the world before spluttering out.
Free Pitching, it's like choosing your partner in a beauty pageant.
Date: 21-Apr-09
Author: Dave Gravina (Digital Eskimo)
We attended a lively and interesting Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA) talk featuring lawyer Chris Finn of Finn Roache last night. The talk touched on that ugly elephant in the design studio, free/spec pitching in the context of the global recession - loosely defined as the act of doing significant free work (strategy, ideation or actual design) to win a tender or proposal process. It was refreshing to hear outright condemnation of this terrible business practice from the floor, although Chris' legal "solution" worried me.
But first I'll explain the beauty pageant thing...
Conroy's bad bush broadband connection
Date: 15-Apr-09
Author: Lucy Skuthorp (The Land)
ONE thing sadly missing from this big, beefy broadband debate is the lack of any mention of a rock-solid guarantee to ensure decent broadband services to rural and remote areas in the Government's $43 billion fibre to the home plan.
Conroy Q&A
Date: 26-Mar-09
Author: Roger Hudson
Senator Conroy is participating in the Q&A panel-discussion program on the ABC this evening. Needless to say, many people are sending in questions relating to the Internet Filtering proposal for Tony Jones to ask the Senator.
Hold them to account - Conroy on Q&A This Thursday
Date: 25-Mar-09
Author: Get Up!
This is our chance to ask Senator Conroy to explain his plans to censor the internet. The architect of the Government's net censorship plans, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, has refused interviews on the topic for months. But at 9.30pm this Thursday night we have an opportunity to put him on the spot.
iiNet pulls out of net censorship trials
Date: 23-Mar-09
Author: Asher Moses (SMH)
Australia's third largest internet provider, iiNet, has withdrawn from the Government's internet censorship trials, saying it could not "reconcile participation in the trial with our corporate social responsibility".
Leaked Australian blacklist reveals banned sites
Date: 19-Mar-09
Author: Asher Moses (SMH)
The Australian communications regulator's top-secret blacklist of banned websites has been leaked on to the web and paints a harrowing picture of Australia's forthcoming internet censorship regime.
Banned hyperlinks could cost you $11,000 a day
Date: 17-Mar-09
Author: Asher Moses (SMH)
The Australian communications regulator says it will fine people who hyperlink to sites on its blacklist, which has been further expanded to include several pages on the anonymous whistleblower site Wikileaks.
VIC bushfire affected communities given a voice online
Date: 27-Feb-09
Author: auCD
auCD have temporarily* provided community websites for the recent Victorian (February, 2009) bushfire affected communities to help with the rebuilding of their communities as a potential focus point...
Web censorship plan heads towards a dead end
Date: 26-Feb-09
Author: Asher Moses (SMH)
The Government's plan to introduce mandatory internet censorship has effectively been scuttled, following an independent senator's decision to join the Greens and Opposition in blocking any legislation required to get the scheme started.
auDA extends AusRegistry's au registry term to 2014
Date: 26-Feb-09
Author: auDA
auDA today announced that it has extended its au Registry Licence Agreement with AusRegistry. AusRegistry will now continue as Registry Operator and wholesale provider for all commercial domain names including .com.au and .net.au and non-commercial domain names, .gov.au and .edu.au until 2014
The Trial Begins
Date: 25-Feb-09
Author: Colin Jacobs (EFA)
With the Government's clean feed trial about to start, a number of policy questions remain known unknowns, writes Colin Jacobs (Colin Jacobs is Vice-Chair of Electronic Frontiers Australia and director of a company developing internet applications).
Internet industry remains opposed to online filter
Date: 24-Feb-09
Author: John Stewart (ABC)
Last week the Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, announced that the first in a series of internet filter trials will soon go ahead. One internet service provider has already begun the trial, but most of Australia's internet industry remain opposed to an online filter and some experts say it will not work.
Row over web blacklist
Date: 24-Feb-09
Author: Fran Foo (The Australian)
MAJOR inconsistencies have emerged in the way a top-secret blacklist of web pages is managed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
Does Conroy's inclusion of Webshield in the Internet filtering trial give a hint of things to come?
Date: 17-Feb-09
Author: North Coast Voices
An interesting article from North Coast Voices including a long list of 'Blocking Categories' used by one participating ISP
Big brother filter plan insults parents
Date: 30-Jan-09
Author: Nick Minchin in The Herald
Underlying the Rudd Government's plan to screen the internet is an offensive message: that parents cannot be trusted to mind their children online.
Fatal flaws in website censorship plan, says report
Date: 23-Dec-08
Author: Asher Moses (SMH)
TRIALS of mandatory internet censorship will begin within days despite a secret high-level report to the Rudd Government that found the technology simply does not work, will significantly slow internet speeds and will block access to legitimate websites.
New hurdle for net censorship
Date: 12-Dec-08
Author: Asher Moses (SMH)
The ultra-conservative politician known for his attempts to censor television has strongly opposed the Government's plans to introduce mandatory internet censorship, highlighting the policy's lack of support across the political spectrum.
Greens won't back federal plans for internet filters
Date: 26-Nov-08
Author: AAP - Australian IT
The Australian Greens won't be supporting plans to introduce compulsory internet filters.
Internet Censorship - Senator Conroy's 'Clean Feed'
Date: 16-Nov-08
Author: Peter Firminger
A range of links on the Federal Government's "Clean Feed" policy
WIPA Annual General Meeting
Date: 17-Oct-07
Author: Russ Weakley
The WIPA Annual General Meeting is to be held on Tuesday 23 October in Sydney.
A report on the NSW Government Website Style Directive forum
Date: 30-Aug-07
Author: Belinda Lego
There was a full-house for WIPA's first Sydney event - a forum on the recently released NSW Government Website Style Directive.
NSW Government Website Directives Forum
Date: 17-Aug-07
Author: Russ Weakley
WIPA is presenting a forum on the NSW Government Website Style Directive that was released at the end of last year.
FullCodePress - on this weekend
Date: 15-Aug-07
Author: Russ Weakley
Details for the FullCodePress event - when, where, times, how you can help, and ways you can watch, participate.
FullCodePress and accessibility
Date: 26-Jul-07
Author: Russ Weakley
There have been a few comments recently about the lack of an accessibility expert position on the FullCodePress teams. Have we been ignoring accessibility?
FullcodePress news: Not one but two organisation websites!
Date: 24-Jul-07
Author: Russ Weakley
A subcommittee from Webstock and WIPA have been busily assessing the non-profit organisation registrations. The winning organisations cannot be revealed until Saturday 18 August, when our two teams meet.
Australian FullCodePress team captain's choice
Date: 13-Jul-07
Author: Russ Weakley
The Australian team has picked it's captains choice and would like to welcome on board JEFF LOWDER
FullCodePress - new sponsors
Date: 07-Jul-07
Author: Russ Weakley
Adobe has agreed to sponsor the Australian FullCodePress team. We also welcome new sponsors RedSquare and SitePoint.
The Australian and New Zealand teams
Date: 07-Jul-07
Author: Russ Weakley
The Australian and New Zealand FullCodePress teams have been announced.
Finalists for the Australian team
Date: 04-Jul-07
Author: Russ Weakley
The Australian selection panel have selected the following finalists for the Australian FullCodePress team - also from a number of impressive candidates. Again, in no particular order:
Finalists for the New Zealand team
Date: 04-Jul-07
Author: Russ Weakley
After much deliberation, the New zealand selection panel have selected the following finalists for the NZ FullCodePress team from a number of impressive candidates (in no particular order)
FullCodePress Non-profit organisation selection panel announced
Date: 30-Jun-07
Author: Russ Weakley
We're are pleased to announce the selection panel for the non-profit organisations. It'll be their job to select the non-profit organisations that will win a free werbsite on 18 August 2007.
Australian FullCodePress selection panel announced
Date: 30-Jun-07
Author: Russ Weakley
WIPA are pleased to announce the selection panel for the Australian FullCodePress team. It'll be their job to shortlist three candidates for each position, one of whom will be chosen at random for the Australian team.
Registration now closed for FullCodePress teams and organisations
Date: 30-Jun-07
Author: Russ Weakley
Registration for the Australian and New Zealand teams has now closed. We've had over 100 registrations for both teams, and the quality of those applying has been great.
Call for Review: Updated WCAG 2.0 Working Draft
Date: 31-May-07
Author: Judy Brewer
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (WCAG WG) invites you to comment on an updated draft of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0), published on 17 May 2007. WCAG 2.0 addresses accessibility of Web content for people with disabilities.
auDA Panel releases Issues Paper for public comment
Date: 18-May-07
Author: Peter Firminger
auDA's 2007 Names Policy Panel is currently reviewing the policy framework for .au domain names. The Panel has released an Issues Paper, May 2007 which sets out the current situation and invites comment on suggestions and options for change.
FullCodePress - international website in a day competition now open
Date: 18-May-07
Author: Russ Weakley
Webstock and WIPA are extremely pleased to announce the launch of FullCodePress, a new and exciting series of web events. National teams compete against each other to build a website in 24 hrs, putting national pride and web prowess to the tes
Entries are now open for the WA Web Awards 2007
Date: 17-May-07
Author: Russ Weakley
The AWIA has just announced that the Western Australian Web Awards for 2007 are now open! The committee have said that they are already planning an even bigger and brighter event than last year.
WIPA Open for Membership
Date: 07-May-07
Author: Roger Hudson
The recently established Web Industry Professionals Association (WIPA) aims to foster the development of the Web Industry in Australia and provide forums where people who work in all the different facets of the industry can come together and exchange ideas.
Full Code Press (World Wide Web-a-thon) - coming soon!
Date: 15-Dec-06
Author: Russ Weakley
Webstock and WIPA are more than pleased - in fact hugely excited - to announce "World Wide Web-a-thon", the start of an international series of web competitions.
