ISP-level filter bad for industry
- 15 December, 2009 17:24
- Comments 4
The Federal Government's decision to implement mandatory ISP-level content filtering is a bad day for the industry, according to one of the founding members of the Australian Network Operators Group (Ausnog).
James Spenceley who is also Vocus CEO told Computerworld the announcement by Senator Stephen Conroy that he would push ahead the content filter to block URLs that received a Refused Content classification by the ACMA in the face of considerable public backlash, was potentially detrimental to the industry's reputation.
"Certainly from an industry perspective it marks a particularly bad day," he said. "The number of countries that have mandated internet content filtering is very few. It is not a particularly positive group that we want associated with the country. It is a bad day for retail ISPs but a very good day for people that make content filtering boxes."
Spenceley added the decision would add a significant cost to ISPs and despite the results of Enex TestLab’s test pilot report indicating those that filtered only the ACMA blacklist during the trial had no noticeable performance degradation that could be attributed to the filter itself, there would be other technical issues introduced.
"There will be capital costs to buy the boxes, there will be costs to run the boxes, update the boxes and all that kind of stuff," he said. "It also introduces unreliability into the network. If boxes break are they going to do so nicely and fail traffic over or are they going to take down all the users web experiences until they are rebooted? It is another level of complexity into the ISP network that frankly doesn't need to be there."
Leading telco analyst and Buddecomme director, Paul Budde, also told Computerworld it was unlikely it would be smooth technical sailing for any ISP-level content filter.
"I don't think you will ever get, on the Internet, something that works 100 per cent," Budde said. "There is no way in the world. Particularly in contentious situations like this there are a lot of people who make it their hobby or aim in life to get through it and make it available to everyone that wants it."
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Comments
Anonymous
It's too strong a word to consider the Enex testing as "results". They do not disclose sample sizes. The samples are inherently skewed. In the end, the report has no solid facts on which to base any conclusions. No peer review would pass it. I doubt it would pass as a highschool project. On the other hand, Enex admits freely that the filters were inaccurate.
In short, I can't see how Conroy can stand up and claim this report supports him. As I see it, it totally demolishes his position. Why does Conroy persist in this deception?
Jahm Mitt
The great thing about all of this religious or "culty" guff, is that all the sheeple groveling in their steeple, they all have "opinions" about what their deity is "saying" and righteously so, but the deity in the last few thousands of years of "omnipotence", has never once put in a personal appearance.
You know like if "JC and the Space Cadets" were a rock band - the clueless would have caught on that while the promoters claim that they play in gigs all over the land, but they have never turned up; while the clueless and stupid keep rocking up and buying the tickets.
Losers.
So the same overlording us with more holier than thou drivel, is projected into the area of computer games and internet sites.
Again while people get slaughtered for fun and profit in the movies and the real world, playing computer games doing the same stuff is just not on?
Why?
Am I surprised that the people thrusting their liturgical loins at the censors office for "standards and decency" are not trying to put the shackles on those who choose to have their own autonomous opinions, by declaring them to workers of the devil, sorcery and witches - starting with the jabbings for the devils mark.
Am I even further surprised that this is now extending into the Great Australian Firewall.
Perhaps those who cry loudest are those who look forlornly upon the promises of the bible, such as Ezekiel 23: 21 "whose members were like those of donkeys, and whose emission was like that of stallions."
I mean who wouldn't want that or to be getting that?
I mean thank god Conroy is standing up for real Christian family values.
Jesus said in Revelation 2:22-23 "And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works."
So Jesus wants to kill our kids - that's cool cause it is Jesus.
Timbo says I Timothy 2:11-14 "Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
So all the women ought to keep their traps shut. I mean it's in the bible - so it must be true right.
And God digs killing pregnant chicks by knifing them and smashing their kids brains out on the ground; so the christians have got this family values stuff down pat: Hosea 13:16 "Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up."
So Conroy and his catholic buddies have got this right - we have to be protected against them out there on the internet and subjugate ourselves to the righteous christians showing us how their god loves us and how we ought to be kissing his ass, on the basis of their say so.
Oh did I mention that the old testament is a scammed copy of the Code of Hammurubi? The King of Babylons state laws - and the first 6 books of the bible are bare faced rip offs of this, just rebranded to a diety instead of the king?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_code_of_Hammurabi.pdf
Yep gotta remember them good old christian family values, the true word of god is the bible... except that getting nailed for copyright and plagarisim wasn't invented then.
Anonymous
Christian Lobby is why, the nice people that will also soon no doubt try to implement filters for mobile phones, email, TV, radio, landline telephones, outlaw all sexual acts except the missionary position perfomed in the dark and with clothes on and you will have to apply for a licence to perform such act 1 year prior to the act and only for the purpose of making a baby.
They took my guns, they'll take my internet they may even take other things from me, they tell me I am not resposible to judge for myself what is appropriate and what is not but i'll be damned if i'll let the b*st*ds take what's left. in the words of the outlaw "live free, die free"
Anonymous
http://www.acl.org.au/national/about.stw
The ACL or Australian Christian Lobby, the first few lines scare the daylights out of me, they wish to influence "the way we are governed", Church and State have never been good partners, look at the holy wars, look at the middle east today, all church run states, hello Taliban, Al-Queda or what ever you call yourself, stick to god and praying for whatever it is you pray for, you can have heaven leave the earthly plane to us, we can do without your lot tell us what how to live, after all it was "GOD" not you who gave us freedom of choice, you have not been appointed by "GOD" to rule over us, oh yeah, take Conroy with you when you leave please
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