Bluelight and the Aussie Internet Filter – Will it affect us?

[Mr Blonde]

^ Yeah, given what I've heard from those Liberal members and the Greens I imagine that as parliament stands right now the filter would have a very hard time passing and would be unlikely to become law unless Labor wins a majority in both houses, which they are unlikely to do given their current situation.

In all honesty I can see the Internet eventually being filtered. Governments hate not controlling information and as more and more Internet crime occurs the push will get stronger.

I thought this as well at first but once the US Government weighed in with their opinion I became more optimistic about it. I am really glad that they are for freedom on the internet, in some ways America really does still have liberty at it's heart and I for one am completely pro-American, whenever someone bashes America in conversation I am quick to rebut them in as many ways as I can.

 

[skatkid]

I'm pro American too. I'm a libertarian at heart. Unfortunetly the libs have that conservative wing which I'm almost certain would at least privately support it.

I bet that moron fielding supports it to

 

[Mr Blonde]

Julia Gillard is now our Prime Minister! We have our first female PM evar!

What do you think this means for the filter, Bluelight? She has taken over due to multiple unpopular policies turning MP's against Kevin Rudd, do you think the filter may fall as part of these policies as well? What is her position on the filter?

 

[skatkid]

Depends whether she keeps conroy in his portfolio hich I think she will. I'm guessing shed be less in favour of the filter then rudd but it's conroys little pet project so she may just let him keep it.
But when push comes to shove I think there's too many barriers and the filter won't come to fruition

 

[getyourselfhigh200]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/07/2946907.htm

Looks like Gillard is 100% in support of the filter, there goes any hope I had she might bring a more rational approach to the matter.

but it's conroys little pet project so she may just let him keep it.

I don't think this is entirely true, Labors has plans for compulsary internet filtering since beazley was opposition leader, well before Conroy got the communications portfolio. The push is coming from the christian lobby who have a far deeper reach into the Labor party than just conroy.

 

[chiefoverlord]

Sorry, I'm too lazy to read all 18 pages of this thread. But on the first couple of pages, people were saying you could circumvent the filter in any case by using a proxy. That of course was my first thought too, but then I remembered something: the filter is supposed to take place at the ISP-level. No matter whether you're on a proxy or not, your ISP will still see the request, will it not? And will be able to cut the request off at that point, right? So I think a proxy might not be the simple solution that it sounds on the face of it.

 

[MrIbis]

^No because a proxy runs outside the ISP. as does Tor etc.

The ISP filters the list, and direct requests from your IP to that address... by putting something inbetween your ISP and the site you're accessing, your IP is only requesting the IP of your proxy. Thus the filter won't pick it up.


Client>Request=Proxy Server>ISP<Proxy Server=Request<Client.

As you can see, either side of the ISP is nothing but a blank IP being requested...

 

[justsayknow]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/07/2946907.htm

Looks like Gillard is 100% in support of the filter, there goes any hope I had she might bring a more rational approach to the matter.



I don't think this is entirely true, Labors has plans for compulsary internet filtering since beazley was opposition leader, well before Conroy got the communications portfolio. The push is coming from the christian lobby who have a far deeper reach into the Labor party than just conroy.

Aww that sucks. I was almost going to vote Labour for the first time ever too. Looks like its back to the greens for me.

 

[hazed420]

on the radio i heard something along the lines of "the focus is on educating the public" something to that effect. in all likelihood its cop out. This is a situation i have always feared, i expect no less then japanese tentacle rape from our beloved system. DONT FILTER MY GOOGLEINTERTUBE!! as posted above i propose a mass evacuation via inflateable crocodiles to portugal posing as japanese whalers (this way the govt wont intervene). p.s. anyone who brings an inflateable alligator will promptly be told to fuck off.

 

[acidprime]

Aww that sucks. I was almost going to vote Labour for the first time ever too. Looks like its back to the greens for me.

if you have to vote greens, atleast vote below the line so labor doesn't get the prefs

 

[Juvenile]

Aww that sucks. I was almost going to vote Labour for the first time ever too. Looks like its back to the greens for me.

I wouldn't be so sure that voting green is the right way to go if you want to vote out the filter. One of the main backers of the filter from way back Clive hamilton is now running for the greens. I wouldn't trust the greens not to trade there objection of the filter for some other issue if push came to shove.

I an going to Put the pirate party and sex party ahead of the greens and vote below the line, putting family first and labor at the bottom.

 

[Mr Blonde]

Conroy backs down on net filters.

Interesting, the filters have been put off until a review of classification is done with the states and territories and this won't take place until next year at least. We can breath a little easier for now?

Also, I was talking to someone last night who believes that signs are pointing to Gillard calling the election this weekend. By putting off the filter for a while it seems as though they are trying to minimize damage caused by the controversy.

 

[phase_dancer]

One of the main backers of the filter from way back Clive hamilton is now running for the greens.

That's indeed a pity. I found his book Silencing Dissent to be a good read, but I recently heard an interview with Clive on the ABC, and was quite stunned to hear how much he believes in tough censorship. I say pity, because imo, in many ways he's a remarkable man with qualities desirable in a politician.

 

[justsayknow]

if you have to vote greens, atleast vote below the line so labor doesn't get the prefs

Yeah for sure. Its worth spending the extra couple of minutes to make sure your vote isn't completely wasted.

I hope the greens don't back this thing as a party. Surely the religious right thinks they are a bunch of satanists and homosexuals anyway? They cant expect to get much of a look in from them.

 

[djep]

The internet filter issue is a major issue that the Australian Sex Party is taking to the next election.

Check out their policies here - http://www.sexparty.org.au

 

[modtang]

The internet filter issue is a major issue that the Australian Sex Party is taking to the next election.

Check out their policies here - http://www.sexparty.org.au

I was wondering who to vote for. I think I just found my answer.

 

[Tronica]

Greens definitely AGAINST the internet filter

I wouldn't be so sure that voting green is the right way to go if you want to vote out the filter. One of the main backers of the filter from way back Clive hamilton is now running for the greens. I wouldn't trust the greens not to trade there objection of the filter for some other issue if push came to shove.

Hamilton ran in a byelection last year for Peter Costello's seat and yes, he's into censorship - which disturbed me, as a Greens member who is vehemently against the ISP internet filter and censorship generally. I do not believe he is running for parliament again.

However, the Greens have categorically rejected the internet filter policy... eg. See Senator Scott Ludlam's parliamentary speech on the subject:
http://www.efa.org.au/2010/05/13/senator-ludlam-slams-filter-in-parliament/
I have a different view to Juvenile - I do trust that the Greens will fight against the filter now they have pledged to do so. Unlike the major parties, they don't have a history of back-flipping on party policy.

So, vote Sex Party or Pirate Party to make the point if you like, but give your next preference to the Greens ahead of either major party. While Gillard has delayed the filter, this move will only keep the issue away from the election debate which is frustrating - they will just get to it after the public have re-elected them.

The only way to stop this happening is to have a Green and other minority senate balance of power. Still, even if this happens, if Coalition and Labor senators agree on an issue (and this could be one of them), the issue will pass into law. Ultimately we need one of the two major parties to see sense for the ISP filter to die. Hopefully one of them will and hopefully we'll have a Green balance of power in the senate in 2011.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

Hmm.. I'm 20 and am currently back at TAFE completing my VCE. Up until this year when I had to prepare a persuasive argument on an issue (I chose the internet filter, which I am staunchly opposed to) I had no interest in politics whatsoever, and wasn't even going to vote. Upon researching the proposed filter I became increasingly infuriated with Labor's idea of mandatory filtering and especially their "if you're not with us, you support kiddie porn" line.

I am really quite worried at the direction the government is heading.. I cannot help but feel slightly disheartened though; the majority of people my age I know are strongly opposed to the filter, but are quite happy to stand idly by while Conroy and Co slowly chip away at our freedom. It does at times feel as if we are fighting a losing battle...

 

[thestudent14]

We here at bluelight have been following the filter quite alot too Snap_crackle_pop

I think one of the most dissapointing things I remember hearing was that 99% of people were opposed to the filter of the 68,000 or so surveyed. And he still continues to press forward.

It's funny isn't it, I have always used the internet alot more then most people, pretty much all of my friends apart from 1 or 2 and I have never once stumbled across kiddy porn.

It seems to me it's very much a pointless battle for them, because if it goes through the people that DO want to look at kiddy porn will get around the filter anyway.

Sure 95% of the time the filters not gonna get in the way of something people want to view, but it's that 5% that could be more important. It's the 5% that brings up the views and points that the other sites don't agree with.

It's our constitutional rights to have freedom of information. So how can they say they want to make it harder for people to learn about drugs? It's vital harm-reduction value.

Imagine if bluelight was affected, it was just 2 weeks ago where one person was worried they had O.D'd on Codiene/paracetamol tablets and within about 15minutes someone else saying "wtf? I didn't know you could O.D who hadn't done an extract and had taken alot more tablets" we were all quick to tell him to not take a risk and head down to the hospital.

Now as far as I know he was perfectly fine, but had this site been blocked he would've never found out that he could Overdose and could've repeated with even more pills.


The thing that makes the internet so powerful is it's freedom and the ability to find out pretty much anything you want to. As soon as you start restricting that it cuts down our freedoms.

Who heard about the new law in QLD against swearing. It is now ILLEGAL to swear in public and you can be awarded a 150 dollar fine for it. How is that possibly justifiable, I thought we had freedom of speech? Sure I can see how people think swearing is a bit out of control these days, but seriously WHO GIVES A FUCK?

Also It was hardly even spoken about, maybe it's because I'm from victoria, but how does a law just slip by like that? I was watching the news and it was mentioned about 2-3 weeks ago.

It's funny you can't even go camping now, isn't that meant to be part of the appeal of Australian tourism and lifestyle. Go camping and have your own billycan going. oh wait you can't boil billy's either, I thought boiling water was meant to kill germs? "Oh no but you also have potential to get germs from the can itself"


You wanna do a controversial issue Snap_Crackle_Pop theirs one for you.

Fuck our CUNTry
Sorry about the rant guys, just sometimes this damn topic really gets to me =(

 

[Sameria]

^I feel the same.

The internet filter itself is one issue, but I'm more worried about a government that is comfortable with forcably restricting freedom of speech.

There has also been talk of the government wanting to monitor ALL communications (e-mail, chat programs, snail mail, phones etc.). I don't know about everyone else, but I sure as hell am not content with a government that even gives these ludicrous ideas a second thought.