[LINK] ACS new? submission on ISP filtering

[Stilgherrian]

On 18/03/2010, at 9:43 AM, Jan Whitaker wrote:
> That isn't true, is it? I mean, if every ISP is running a blacklist, 
> that would mean that we already *have* ISP level filtering. Is this 
> guy just making things up? Or is there already blocking going on?

Most if not all ISPs would be running a web proxy/cache like Squid, yes. And such proxies have the ability to allow or deny access by IP address or URL. So do most firewalls an routers for that matter.

So in essence the vague term "blocking" is already possible.

ISPs already block certain traffic if it is a threat to their ability to run their network, such as the daily DDoS attacks which plague the internet, or persistent spammers or whatever. This is just normal network management.

So in essence the vague term "blocking" is already happening.

But the intent of all this is to ensure that the network operates fast and reliably for the paying customers. Whereas the intent of the "mandatory internet content filtering" is to prevent the paying customers using the network as they wish, either because they deliberately wish to access the content or it's inadvertently "stumbling across it".

(ISPs already "block" traffic in the form of filtering email for spam and viruses. Again, a kind of filtering which the customers would want to happen)

Whereas the existing "blocking" (and I say again, this is  vague and probably unhelpful term) is about what the customer wants (spam and virus filtering) or what the ISP wants (remove the attacks that affect their ability to do their job), the censorship filter is about doing what someone else wants, i.e. the government.

These differences of intent and responsibility and goals are the key differences.

The whole rest of the debate is about how you efficiently achieve those goals technically.

Stepping back a bit further, the actual government goal is not about child protection but about politics. But I've written enough about that elsewhere.

Stil


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