Australia - Your Internet is Already Being Filtered
December 20th
Earlier this week, the Australian government’s Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy announced the the filtering trials were a success, and that the government would push forward with mandatory internet filtering, forcing all ISPs to filter a government controlled blacklist of websites.
On Thursday, an IT colleague of mine registered stephenconroy.com.au on which he setup a simple anti-censorship website deriding the governments actions, linking to news articles and calling for community support (of which there is quite a lot). Shortly afterwards, the Sydney Morning Herald got wind of the “prank” and published the link in a topical article about the proposed filter. He has also been approached by supportive law experts, journalists and the community at large.
On Friday afternoon, AUDA’s (Australia’s Domain Authority) CEO personally issued my colleague with a policy challenge (presumably instigated by Stephen Conroy’s office), and took the domain offline in 3 hours. The speed of this takedown is remarkable, even by DMCA-USA standards. Their own policy documents describe a 20-day dispute resolution process.
A similar takedown happened in 2006 when then Prime Minister ordered the shutdown of another critical website. In recent polls upwards of 95% of Australians are against internet filtering, so why are we sitting around like lambs to the slaughter while our citizens voices are being SILENCED by our government(s)? This takedown action is precedented, totalitarian, and completely repugnant.
Stephenconroy.com.au is currently being hosted at http://stephen-conroy.com/. Visit for news, updates and grassroots action.
Tags: interent filtering, internet censorship, stephen conroy
Our Twitter Feed : 
January 1st, 2010 at 1:37 pm
It’s amazing how quickly action can take place when the
minister for fascism jumps on the phone :S
Not cool!
January 5th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Welcome to New Australia, where the government wants to model itself on China yet records all your information by telecommunications like that done in East Germany.
January 6th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
The outcome? Well.. Not much so far.. I would think by now Senator Conroy is asking the ACL to backdown on their “suggested content” that is to be “unclassified”. (Unless he wants to tempt MORE civil unrest over this issue..)
As more and more Australians “CENSOR” their Twitter/Website images in protest. As “Letters to the Editor” and MP’s and Senators email/snail mail addresses overload.
and.. it aint done yet… :) that is just the tip of the iceburg… (I was thinking of hosting a couple of RuddandConroyareFools.com kinda domains myself… )
I think by now Senator Conroy wishes more of the population were on SSRI (Antidepressant) medication. (to make us more “accepting” of HIS free will)
Obviously the Australian public WILL standup to ANYONE/ANYTHING that threatens the future of an unfiltered net.
We probably now need a referendum on this subject. But lets just leave the politicians out of it and ask some meaningful questions. (Otherwise we will end up with a Howard style Republic question.. With no winning answer..)
Maybe ask some questions.. Like..
Do you want to filter the net?
Would you consent to a “child porn” only filter?
Would you consent to the Australian Government filtering “information” that isn’t related to “child porn”?
etc
Senator Conroy and BOTH major political parties should learn from the public response that this is a wasted excercise. (expensive in tax dollars too.. I bet… grrrrrr)
The ACL should stick to preaching their “faith” to those who will suffer it and stop trying to impose their religiously inspired “morals” down everyone elses throats! Politicians should heed the voice of their electorate.
Party Politics are to blame for this and many other “issues” in society. If people only voted Independent these problems wouldnt keep reoccuring.