[LINK] Coalition policy: ISP filtering on by default, Children's e-Safety Commissioner

Frank O'Connor francisoconnor3 at bigpond.com
Thu Sep 5 19:55:48 AEST 2013


Seems their policy is to do everything possible to slow down the Internet delivery to Australian households. Kill FTTH, install filters, mandatorily redirect to ... no doubt overworked ... proxies, create new privacy threats ... hey, it's all happening.

My brother (a technophobe from way back) travels a bit and has been astonished at the breadth, depth and speed of overseas connections ... even in some Third World countries ... compared to Australia. he loved what he could do in Europe, North Africa and South East Asia on the Net, and how services were delivered - and then he came back home to 'world's best practice' Australia.

Now, he's a pretty much rusted-on LNP voter ... but even he has problems with Coalition policies on communications and networking ... so imagine how the other couple of a million who travel overseas are gonna look at 'Mr Broadband' when he makes pronouncements over the next few years. As I've said before, Tony Abbott has brilliantly outflanked Turnbull - because his rival's credibility will be in the mud with the way communications and networking policy have stultified in this country to give us a 'World's Worst' moniker within a couple of years.

Just my 2 cents worth ...
---
On 05/09/2013, at 5:39 PM, Robin Whittle <rw at firstpr.com.au> wrote:

> As reported:
> 
> http://www.zdnet.com/au/australian-opposition-vows-to-implement-internet-filter-by-default-7000020270/
> 
> http://www.liberal.org.au/our-policies
> 
> The Coalition's policy to Enhance Online Safety for Children:
> 
> http://lpaweb-static.s3.amazonaws.com/Coalition%202013%20Election%20Policy%20%E2%80%93%20Enhance%20Online%20Safety%20-%20final.pdf
> 
> This involves default-on filtering to reject "adult" material for all
> new home broadband services and for mobile services, with mobile users
> needing to prove they are adults before having it turned off.
> 
>  " . . . we expect these standards will:
> 
>    *  involve mobile phone operators installing adult content
>       filters on phones which will be switched on as the
>       default unless the customer proves he or she is at least
>       18 years of age; and
> 
>    *  involve major internet service providers providing home
>       network filters for all new home  broadband  services,
>       which will be switched on as the default unless the
>       customer specifies otherwise."
> 
> There will be a "new, simplified cyber-bullying offense, a Children's
> e-Safety Commissioner and:
> 
>  "an effective complaints system, backed by legislation, to
>   get harmful material down fast from large social media sites."
> 
>  "The complaints system will be backed by legislation. The
>   Coalition will legislate to define a 'large social media site'
>   (by reference to the number of user accounts in Australia, or
>   other objective measures) and to oblige any company which
>   meets the definition to participate in the complaints system.
> 
>   Australian legislation will be effective to achieve compliance
>   by any company with staff or assets in Australia, or which
>   generates advertising revenue in Australia – and this is likely
>   to be the case for any company which meets the definition of
>   'large social media site'."
> 
> 
> It will be interesting to see how such a scheme decides what is
> "harmful".  For instance I recall reading about schemes, I assume funded
> by the government, to help inform and support homosexual/lesbian
> teenagers and improve their chances of getting through to adulthood in a
> way which is healthy for them.  (Including by avoiding bullying,
> self-harm and suicide.) Yet some people would argue that any such
> acceptance of traditionally unacceptable sexual orientations is harmful
> to children.
> 
> 
> - Robin
> 
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