[LINK] Green light for internet filter plans

[Kim Holburn]

On 2009/Dec/16, at 11:49 AM, rene wrote:

> On Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:57:08 +1100, Jan Whitaker wrote:
>> And what *does* happen when a site is blocked? Is there some
>> sort of error message returned? Is it customisable by the ISP? Is it
>> mandated by the govt. to say something about "stop being naughty and
>> go do your homework"?
>
> Answer to that is currently unknown because the govt has not said  
> anything
> about their intentions in that regard. It depends on whether the govt
> mandates in legislation what ISPs must do in relation to message  
> returned
> (when a page is blocked), and if they don't legislate about that  
> aspect,
> then what any particular ISP chooses to do.
>
> For example, in the UK, some ISPs return a message that says the URL  
> is
> blocked because it's on the IWF blacklist, other ISPs just return a
> standard "not found" type error message (i.e. they lie about what
> happened).
>
> Telstra says in its report that if they implement their 'solution',  
> then
> when a page is blocked: "The user's experience will as if the URL  
> doesn't
> exist (no indication to the user that the page has been specifically
> blocked)."


Whatever they do in the event this passes both houses (it's not going  
to be just done via regulation without a parliamentary bill is it?) is  
not clear yet but in the Enex report it says:

> Pass-by filters
>
> A pass-by filter does not require all traffic to pass through the  
> filter. Pass-by filters
> comprise two types: hybrid and port mirroring. Only hybrid pass-by  
> technology was
> used in this trial.

...  blah blah blah ...

> Most commonly the action by a filter is a
> block-page being returned to the end-user, otherwise the traffic is  
> allowed to pass on
> and the site returned to the user.



-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
Ph: +39 06 855 4294  M: +39 3494957443
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