Lundy throws her support behind ISP-based filter
- 17 December, 2009 12:41
- Comments 18
In a surprise move, Senator Kate Lundy has thown her support behind the Federal Government’s controversial ISP-level internet filter.
In a blog post titled My thoughts on the Filter, Lundy outlined the history behind the concept; the political argy bargy and its feasibility.
“At the time, I took comfort in the seemingly well-established ‘fact’ that such a filter was not technically feasible and that any reasonable test would establish this ‘fact’ yet again,” wrote Lundy.
The debate surrounding the mandatory filtering of content is highly vocal and impassioned — just type #nocleanfeed into Twitter and you are inundated with news and views on the subject.
And the idea of a filter has posed somewhat of a problem for Lundy, who has long advocated for an open internet. In her post, Lundy outlines the reasons behind her seeming about-turn and where she stands on Senator Conroy’s current strategy.
“To Minister Conroy’s credit, he tackled the issue of defining exactly what was proposed as being filtered: the content that could not be regulated here because it was not on a server in Australia, and was incabable of being classified within our system of classification, hence refused classification, or ‘RC’,” she wrote.
Lundy said Conroy’s announcement that RC material would be subject to the filter helped resolve some of the concern about the lack of detail as to what would be censored.
“Material that is deemed RC by a properly skilled entity such as the classification board affords more confidence than the previous methodology, which had given rise to much of the concern about unjustified, unfair or plain wrong blacklisting of web sites based on complaints because there was no transparent system or method of picking the sites,” Lundy wrote.
She also referred to the recent report from Enex Test Labs, saying she was aware of the debate surrounding the technical detail and scope of the tests, but that the testers considered them successful.
“Did I expect this? Frankly, no…But again, for all intents and purposes, the Minister had abided by his commitment to ensure the policy was grounded in evidence that it did what it said it did. The industry’s original claims that the filters were not feasible were proved false.”
Lundy plans to advocate an approach that recognises the openess principle but she says she will be bound by Labor Caucus’ position on the matter.
“I am keenly aware that many mechanisms used by criminal networks will not be stopped through a filtering mechanism, and I believe the complementary strategies being put in place are good, such as increased funding for the AFP to tackle cybercrime and online safety education.”
More Computerworld coverage on the internet content filter
- Child groups slam Conroy’s ISP filtering plans
- Greens, EFA critical of ISP filtering plans
- ISP-level filter trial vendor happy with results
- Google 'concerned' over Australian mandatory ISP-level filter
- Smith calls for independent audit of Internet content filter trial results
- Internode: ISP-level filter goals still not clear
- ISP-level filter bad for industry
- Budde: Worries remain over ISP-level content filter
- Mandatory ISP-Level Filtering report released
- Report ticks filtered Internet
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Comments
Geoff
The senator is badly misinformed. The government essentially wants to censor the WEB just like China and Burma but our lot will be pandering to the wishes of lobby groups like the far Christian right who know they are correct because the Bible says so. Effective debate on improtant topics like euthanasia and abortion will be heavily restricted or stopped outright.
Australia stand up for your rights and stop this abysmal attack on personal freedom by the religous zealots and do-gooders. In the end I am sure the outcome will be an very very expensive taxpayer funded failure. Mr Rudd stop wasting our money on a scheme to pacify a small number of very vocal naysayers, if you dont like the Internet DONT use it ! Please stop trying to control our lives and do something usefull. We need to campain to have ANY politician that supports this travesty looses at the next election, DO NOT VOTE FOR THESE FOOLS !
Anonymous
So Australia is about to join the ranks of China, North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other lesser odious regimes that deem it the governments business to determine what all citizens - not just under 18's - can see, read or hear on their internet connected devices? It is a sad day for freedom as no matter how eloquently it is argued, this is censorship, plain and simple. Technology exists to selectively scan and block sites that espouse hatred and national security risks.
Craig
I'm sorry, but did the senator read the same report that was released to the public? The one that says that while the trial blocked 100% of the list it was also easy to circumvent? Hardly a reason to make such a sudden turn around surely?
Cowcakes
And here I had been thinking that Kate Lundy was that rarest of creatures, a politician with a brain. Sadly it is now apparent I was severely mistaken.
Anonymous
The 'Great Webbit Proof Fence' will ultimately fail as have all walls in history be they physical or ideological.
Eddie
Lundy has shot herself in the foot. By supporting internet censorship she has undermined her work on "open government"/"open internet", damaging her credibility and losing the trust and faith of the online community.
Ben
Oh dear, gagged by the ALP. She has previous said:
"When governments start covering the eyes and ears of the whole nation, however, there is a real problem. We only need to look at those governments that have taken it to the extreme and burnt books to understand that. But there are more subtle ways to inhibit the flow of ideas that we need to be just as alert to."
That's not exactly a view which is easily changed.
gfrend
Sadly, it now seems ALP solidarity is more important than the right to free speech, common sense, intelligence and tech understanding.
Tim
It's easy to test whether something is possible when you set no success requirements beforehand and you test for situations which are best case scenarios for the tests themselves. There's only one 'outcome'.
Anonymous
Lundy was always going to sell out over the false Enex reports. Period.
Azza
A sad indictment of the party room pressuring an individual and forcing her to make a turn around. Anyone with a half critical eye will notice that the report:
- does not given actual figures of how many users were routed through the filters. (One ISP has confessed to only 15 customers!)
- does not test any speed higher than 8Mbps, while the NBN is supposed to deliver 100Mbps in the near future
- does state that circumvention is possible
- in some cases the filters "magically" sped up the internet indicating that methodology was critically flawed.
Overall the trial report provides no "evidence" except that it is not worth the paper it is written on.
Ms Lundy, who up to now has demonstrated that she was capable of independant and critical thought has obviously either been misled by her office staff or has been pressured into presenting a united face.
A sad day for Aussie democracy.
Alex Macaronis
So, if the classification board are responsible for classifying websites... does that mean you wont be able to get to information about games like L4D2?
LOL
tman
"Unfortunately, such a short memory regarding the debate in 1999 about internet content has led the coalition to already offer support for greater censorship by actively considering proposals for unworkable, quick fixes that involve filtering the internet at the ISP level." - Sen Kate Lundy 2003. Talk about having a short memory!
Pasc
I'm so disappointed by this. I was always expecting her to vote for the legislation but I was hoping she'd be the voice of reason in the Labor party until then.
This makes it look like she's given up before it's come up for a vote.
Anonymous
Of course, Chairman Rudd throwing her a promotion couldn't possibly have changed her line....much.
Custoza
Her past quotes just show the lengths politicians go to lie and protect their coochy careers. Her position years ago while in opposition was obviously to get votes. Now in power she alters her position 180 after being demoted from the front bench.
People should realise reading this and especially the quotes provided by commenters that the major parties are, really, complete liars. We all knew politicians were liars and hated, but why does this never translate into a vote against the lying major parties.
All people have to do is put the ALP and the Liberal Coalition LAST on the ballot. Fill the whole lot out and don't throw away your vote. Make a stand against these lying career politicians who are self-serving their corporate political party.
Denis
It's pretty obvious that Lundy has been told to tow the party line, which is labor's policy. individuality is not encouraged in the ALP.
Lachlan D'Rocks
Well, thats a kick in the gonads if this internet filter gets through I am going to be most upset, was net nanny for free from the government not enuf I is stupid to do any more then that they had the perfect system get it if you want don't bother if you don't want it.
I made a short youtube video on this as well if anyone wants to have a look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QTALCnjIiU
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