[LINK] iiNet pulls out of internet filter trials

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

iiNet pulls out of internet filter trials
Mitchell Bingemann
Australian IT
March 23, 2009
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25228031-15306,00.html

IINET has pulled out of the federal Government's internet filtering trials.

iiNet only agreed to participate in the trial to demonstrate that the 
filter was flawed and a waste of taxpayers’ money, iiNet managing 
director Michael Malone said.

Mr Malone cited drawn-out negotiations with the Department of Broadband, 
Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE), constant changes in 
policy, and last week’s leak of a secret internet blacklist as reasons 
for pulling out.

"It became increasingly clear that the trial was not simply about 
restricting child pornography or other such illegal material, but a much 
wider range of issues including what the Government simply describes as 
‘unwanted material’ without an explanation of what that includes," Mr 
Malone said.

iiNet's withdrawal from the ISP filter trials is another blow for the 
controversial project. Last week the federal Government's plans for the 
nationwide internet filter were put in jeopardy when its top-secret 
blacklist of banned web pages was leaked.

The list is currently being used as the backbone of the Government's 
internet filter trial of which phase one is being conducted by Primus 
Telecommunications, Tech 2U, Webshield, OMNIconnect, Netforce and Highway 1.

iiNet was not involved in phase one of the trials but had applied to be 
involved in subsequent phases.

The secret blacklist, which was leaked to the whistle-blower website 
Wikileaks, is purportedly the same list the Australian Communications 
and Media Authority distributes to vendors of approved internet filters 
to ban offensive material -- such as child pornography, bestiality and 
violence.

Senator Conroy plans to use parts of the ACMA blacklist to block 
Australian internet users from accessing pornographic and violent material.

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Regards
brd

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