[LINK] Internet filter protesters aim for Canberra

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Internet filter protesters aim for Canberra
Mitchell Bingemann
December 16, 2008
The Australian IT
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24804682-15306,00.html

THE group responsible for last weekend's protests against the internet 
filtering scheme plans to take its fight to Canberra.

The rallies were the first in a series of demonstrations organised by 
anti-censorship group Digital Liberty Coalition.

While organisers described the weekend rallies held in all Australia's 
capital cities as "playful", the Canberra actions would be more volatile.

DLC estimates that 2500 people in total attended the nationwide protests.

LC spokesman, Jeremiah Hutchinson called the demonstrations a 
"phenomenal success" and said the group now planned to hold anti-filter 
demonstrations once a month until March, when it would promote a 
national protest in Canberra called March in March.

"We're focusing on a number of guerrilla marketing campaigns and old 
school activism to attract a lot more public awareness over the 
Australia Day long weekend," he said.

"We will be deploying a number of approaches, such as posting fliers and 
engaging with people through social networking in the lead-up to our 
march on Canberra in March. We are also toying with the idea of another 
national protest in February."

Mr Hutchinson is hoping at least 2000 people will participate in the 
march to Canberra. "It will be a heavier protest environment than the 
weekend's which was a more playful and static event. In Canberra there 
will be much more chanting and a lot louder protesting from a lot more 
people."

Under the Government's proposed filtering plan, all Australians will be 
served a "clean" internet feed.

This will be achieved by blocking any websites that find themselves on a 
blacklist compiled by the communications watchdog.

A secondary filter to block material inappropriate for children also 
will be introduced, but users will be able to opt-out of this system by 
lodging a request with their internet service provider.

Opponents to the plan, such as the DLC, say the filter will slow 
internet connection speeds and accidentally block access to a large 
number of legitimate websites.

Mr Hutchinson also said it was possible for unscrupulous users to bypass 
the Government's proposed filter in less than three seconds to gain 
access to illegal material.

"This filter will only affect three access ports, so the simplest way to 
bypass it is to configure your modem settings and alter what ports 
you're accessing the internet from. Alternatively, if you're not tech 
savvy then all you have to do is download a program called Tor, which is 
a program designed to help Chinese and Iranian residents get around 
their filters. It's that simple."

Chief executive of child protection group Child Wise, Bernadette 
McMenamin, said most of the criticisms levelled at the internet filter 
scheme were founded on misinformation.

"It's disturbing that people are getting hysterical about all the 
misinformation that is being spread about the internet filter," Ms 
McMenamin said.

"Instead of hearing hysteria from the minority we need to hear from the 
Government and exactly what it intends to ban."

Ms McMenamin was equally critical of the past weekend's protests and the 
DLC's plans for future action.

"Let the 300 people march on Canberra because it looks pathetic," he 
said. "It looks pathetic and shameful because most of these people are 
not fully aware of the facts and secondly, those who are aware are, in 
effect, advocating child pornography."

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Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au