-
SMH comes out against the filter
Apr 26 2010, 4:03Today’s Sydney Morning Herald, in an editorial entitled “Conroy tilts at a web windmill“, sharply criticised the filtering plan. (Scroll down to see the filter piece). The editorial, in only 400 words, accurately summarises the tone of the debate thus far and puts forward the key objections why those who understand the plan are so opposed to it. The key free speech argument is articulated as follows:
But by trying to control the net, Conroy raises expectations that such a thing can be done. When the measure fails, as it will, there will be pressure to crack down harder, to restrict freedoms further. And what happens when various pressure groups – well intended, no doubt, every one of them – decide that they would like views opposing theirs censored, and start to pressure governments to limit net access further?
It’s encouraging to see the SMH’s editors take a firm stand, and bring the issue into focus for a wider audience. Consider dropping them a note of support.
Blog Archive
Electronic Frontiers Australia
Site designed & created by 
Good editorial. The SMH make an interesting point about what would happen when the filter "fails" (and they're right – it will) – you can see there will be "outrage" how millions of taxpayer dollars could be spent on such a scheme, only to have it be side-stepped completely, so millions more will be spent "fixing" it. And end up tightening things even more.
As we all know, Conroy wants to keep his blacklist of URLs secret. If they go ahead with this hair-brained scheme (god forbid), what I would like to be released to the public is exactly how many URLs are on the blacklist, and the number re-released every time they review the list and add/remove URLs from it.
Any bets has to how long it will go before 10,000, 20,000 or 50,000 URLs are blocked? How long before they block 500,000 URLs? 1 million? Will the scheme get overrun with people submitting URLs to be blocked? How much is this ongoing maintenance of the list going to cost the taxpayer? How long before ISPs start increasing internet connection charges to cover costs of running the filter?
Will they be able to keep the list current? No. Will the list be out of date the moment ISPs start blocking URLs? Yes.
I said it ages ago – Conroy is going to dig his hells in on this, ignore everyone who objects to his scheme, and (try) to go ahead with it. I'm just praying that common sense prevails somewhere along the way.
As I noted on WP the SMH editorial to me is the most significant mainstream media article to date. It is not just a blog opinion piece or a tech journo article. As a main editorial it effectively represents the stance of the Sydney voice of the Fairfax press. While neither Fairfax or Murdoch have the capacity to sway elections as in past decades when they monopolised public opinion by virtue of their print media control, they are still enormously influential with politicians. Many big two party politicians are throwbacks who mistrust new media and will mainly take note of current affairs tv, letters and newspaper editorials. As such this may reach the luddites in federal Parliament that the anti filter movement finds difficult to influence due to their stubborn ignorance or ministerial misleading.
Maybe not the turning point, but perhaps the beginning of the end? One can only hope.
Congratulations to the SMH, here's hoping The Age follows.
If Conroy releases figures about the blacklist content I doubt they will be accurate. He's been caught lying about things that can be easily proven as a lie so him releasing figures about a secret blacklist that can't be proven… what makes you think they'll be truthful then?
At least we can rest easy knowing that we will get to scrutinise the blacklists when they are leaked but by then it will be too late.
My guess is the majority of content on the lists will either be legal adult material overseas or even legal content here in Australia (adult or otherwise).
Brilliant use of our money, and a great justification for making reliable and affordable Internet Connections for Australians even harder to achieve. Thanks Senator Conroy, you’re really doing your part for the Digital Economy.
Actually, he is strengthening a certain sector of the Digital Economy, overseas VPN and Proxy providers. It’s just a shame that’s more money going offshore.