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In a move that could have ramifications for GLBT websites, Australia has moved closer to a regime of internet censorship.
The Rudd Government announced today that it will proceed with compulsory internet filtering, after the success of this year’s internet filter trials, conducted by “independent testing laboratory” Enex Testlab.
“The pilot trial of ISP-level filtering demonstrates that blocking Refused Classification (RC) material can be done with 100 per cent accuracy and negligible impact on internet speed,” said Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, in a statement this afternoon.
Conroy said the RC list would be compiled through a “public complaints mechanism”, an announcement likely to further worry the gay community, representatives of which have expressed concerns that gay websites could be blocked.
Early this year, ACON backed the Save the Net campaign orchestrated by activist group GetUp!, citing concerns that internet filtering could block access to explicit safe sex information and resources on the web.
“ACON is supporting GetUp!’s Save The Net campaign because we’re concerned that the Federal Government’s [internet filtering] will severely limit the effectiveness of our internet-based HIV-prevention and education campaigns, by restricting access to culturally appropriate information,” ACON President Mark Orr told Gay NT in January.
The Federal Government has subsequently refused to reveal what gay websites, if any, may be restricted, however today’s statement from Conroy said RC content would include bestiality, child sex abuse, detailed instruction of crime or drug use, and sexual violence, as well as content identified by the “public complaints mechanism”.
Conroy sought to assure Australians that they had no need to fear websites being blocked without good reason.
“The government is introducing new transparency measures to ensure the public can have absolute confidence in the process for material being placed on the RC Content list,” he said.
“The government will immediately undertake public consultation with the release today of a discussion paper on additional measures to improve the accountability and processes that lead to RC-rated material being placed on the RC content list.”
The next step towards internet censorship will be the introduction of legislative amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act during the autumn 2010 parliamentary sittings, followed by a further twelve months process of implementation.
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