Internet filtering and censorship proposals
Forum and References

Program - References - Organisations

On 27 November 2008 UNSW's Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre hosted a forum for 70 experts and other interested persons to explore aspects of the Australian Government's current Internet filtering and censorship proposals. The aim was to explore the underlying issues and constraints, with various perspectives and arguments considered on their merits. The Centre supports the development of collaborative research in this area, and the forum enabled some of the potential directions to be explored. This is the working page for the forum, and research that may arise from it.

The References section below will continue to be updated for some time.
Participants queried how best to pursue issues raised at this forum - there may be future follow-on events.

Scope

The discussion covers legal, policy, technology and social issues around the current Internet filtering proposal. The purpose of the proposed filter scheme seems somewhat unclear, so the organisers encouraged participants to consider three alternative possible purposes, in increasing generality and difficulty:

  1. only to avoid inadvertent or unintended viewing, only of child pornography materials, and only while surfing the Web (this is similar to the purpose raised by eg, Hamilton in 2003, though there it was perhaps then further limited to only young people as viewers to be protected)

  2. to also prevent, detect, block, and help prosecute deliberate access to, publication or circulation of only child pornography materials, using the Web and possibly other Internet methods (this is the purpose perhaps implied in more recent discussions?)

  3. to block and deter both inadvertent and deliberate interaction with a wider ambit of 'illegal', 'prohibited' or otherwise deprecated material (including that which ACMA is entitled or obliged to list under its confidential blacklist of offshore sites, including reported sites which would probably attract an MA 15+ rating if ever classified), using any Internet method (purpose implied in other statements)

While discussion was constrained to core issues, some commentators (see Davidson below) also flag possible overlaps with technical and policy aspects of other developments. These were raised peripherally.

For instance, a recent live-feed suicide in the US may prompt further consideration of 'suicide' issues, which have already been suggested as a target for filtering. And developments in litigation and investigation of alleged copyright infringements (see Bermeister/Speck and iiNet stories below) may prompt inquiries about the multiple potential uses of certain of the underlying technologies.

Program for the forum

Participants were welcome to speak in a personal capacity, although chose also to comment on the perspective of organisations with whom they have some affiliation. Affiliations are included below for information only, and do not necessarily imply endorsement.

Session 1: Technical parameters of Internet filtering, esp. the current proposal

Filtering techniques, effectiveness, false positives and negatives, potential network degradation, deep packet inspection, methods of circumvention, past self-regulation models used by those looking after the Internet. (Child pornography will not be addressed in this session.)

  • Siva Sivasubramanian, Group Information Security Manager, Optus: How various filtering models work, what is and is not possible, complications, what is missed out, alternative options
  • Stephen Gillies, systems engineer, Ironport (router and security tool providers): what goes on inside a filtering router?
  • Donna Ashelford, president of System Administrators Guild of Australia, Information Services Manager, Business School, University of Qld and: history of Internet content regulation from the perspective of system administrators, liabilities, obligations, challenges, alternatives
  • Colin Jacobs, Electronic Frontiers Australia: wider technical and technical-policy issues
  • Chair: David Vaile, executive director, Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre, UNSW

(Paul Brooks was kind enough to provide, on behalf of ISOC-AU,an explanatory presentation [PDF], though unable to attend.)

Morning tea

Session 2: Legal and societal framework

What is the legal basis for regulation of content on the Internet, how does it interact with the filtering proposal, and how is the problem addressed in other countries?

  • Adrian Lawrence, Partner, Baker & McKenzie: the legal framework for Internet content control, filtering, obligations for ISPs, remedies, liabilities and related legal matters.
  • Paul Hunt, former Deputy Director of the Office of Film and Literature Classification (re-named the Classification Board): the structure of classification and how it applies to Internet content, who is involved in classification of the confidential ACMA blacklist, challenges in classification.
  • Alana Maurushat, researcher at UNSW Law Faculty and international malware regulation expert: compare international framework of legal and governance arrangements surrounding other instances of filtering via Internet infrastructure.
  • Prof Catharine Lumby, UNSW Journalism and Media Research Centre: history of censorship, consumption and production of porn, sexualisation of children, evidence-based strategies, fantasy of the classifiability of the Internet?
  • Chair: Peter Black, law lecturer, Queensland University of Technology.

Lunch

Session 3: What is to be done about child porn, and protecting the interests of children?

Issues arising from the child porn aspect of the filtering proposal, and what we know about the effectiveness of various tools and models.

  • Holly Doel-Mackaway, child rights advisor for Save the Children Australia, and James McDougall, director, National Childrens and Youth Law Centre: the legal basis for child protection, issues about children at different ages, uses of Internet filtering for child protection, options for protecting their interests and rights
  • Ajoy Ghosh, eminent digital forensics expert: the limits and deficiencies of technical means in Australia for detection, prevention and prosecution of child pornographers.
  • Alana Maurushat, researcher at UNSW Law Faculty: research from a partnership with Cambridge UK and Berkman Centre in the US looking at the most effective ways to reduce child pornography, and current deficiencies in' incentivising' parties involved.
  • Chair: Carolyn Penfold, senior lecturer, UNSW Law Faculty

Close

Temporary wireless accounts were also used by some participants to engage a broader audience of 50 or so other people via live blogging. For instance, someone from China commented on the impact of the '"Great Firewall of China" alleged Panopticon effect. Link to blog posts about the UNSW forum on Peter Black's Freedom to Differ ('A blog that speaks freely about legal and policy issues facing the media and the internet'):
http://www.freedomtodiffer.com/freedom_to_differ/2008/11/forum-internet-filtering-and-censorship-proposals-1.html

References

Below is a selection of references, biased towards primary legal documents and direct policy commentary.
Note that inclusion does not imply endorsement or criticism of the views expressed.
Lists of other references to media and other online resources, which we generally do not replicate here apart from selected media, and links to various organisations and policy statements, are at:

Please help to correct or complete the items that are not collected elsewhere; thanks to everyone who has contributed so far. Please send corrections or suggestions to: feedback [at] cyberlawcentre.org

Contents

Government statements and reports

Legislation and regulatory instruments dealing with related issues

Policy statements, commentary and analysis

Scholarly articles or books

Media Reports

Organisations

Government statements and reports
(see also 'Declarations and Directions' under Legislation etc., below)

Minister Stephen Conroy

Hon Lindsay Tanner MP, Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, 'Rudd Government trial for e-democracy future', media release and announcement of short period of operation of a government blog, 9 December 2008 [re the blog; see also Dan Warne APC item in Media, below]
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/092

Senator Stephen Conroy, 'Feedback welcome on Digital Economy Blog', media release, 9 December 2008
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/093 [See also blog link , DBCDE below]

Senator Stephen Conroy, 'Youth Advisory Group to guide Government on cyber-safety,' media release, 8 December 2008
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/091

Senator Stephen Conroy, 'Minister welcomes advances in internet filtering technology', media release, 28 July 2008
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/060

Senator Stephen Conroy, 'Industry Code of Practice to make internet a safer place for children', media release, 16 July 2008
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/057

Senator Stephen Conroy, 'Budget provides policing for internet safety', media release, 13 May 2008
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/033

Senator Stephen Conroy, 'Government welcomes ACMA report on internet filtering', media release, February 2008
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/011

See also: Senator Conroy, "Plan for Cyber Safety", Australian Labor Party, Election 07 Fact Sheet, undated - November 2007? [released during 2007 election campaign]
http://www.alp.org.au/download/now/labors_plan_for_cyber_safety.pdf

Former Minister Helen Coonan

Senator Helen Coonan, 'Protecting Families Online', Address to the National Press Club, June 14 2006
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/newsroom/speeches/protecting_families_online
[see discussion of Clean Feed]

Former Minister Richard Alston

Senator Richard Alston, 'Labor supports easier access to child pornography', Media Release 33/03, 28 March 2003
http://www.richardalston.dcita.gov.au/Article/0,,0_4-2_4008-4_113877,00.html

Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE)

DBCDE, Digital Economy Future Directions blog, undated [first post 8 December 2008?]
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/communications_for_business/industry_development/
digital_economy/future_directions_blog

DBCDE, 'ISP Filtering Live Pilot - Questions and answers', undated [Nov 2008?]
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/communications_for_business/funding_programs__and__support/
isp_filtering_live_pilot/questions_and_answers

DBCDE, 'Internet Service Provider (ISP) Content Filtering 'Live' Pilot', undated [Nov 2008?]
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/communications_for_business/funding_programs__and__support/isp_filtering_live_pilot

DBCDE, 'Technical Testing Framework', November 2008 [PDF]
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/89160/technical-testing-framework.pdf

DBCDE, 'Online content regulation' undated
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/communications_for_consumers/internet/online_content_regulation
[explains the various categories of prohibited material, down to that classified MA15+ in certain circumstances]

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)

ACMA, Developments in internet filtering technologies and other measures for promoting online safety, First annual report to the Minister for BCDE, February 2008 (copyright 2007) [PDF]
http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310554/developments_in_internet_filters_1streport.pdf

ACMA, Closed environment testing of ISP-level internet content filtering - a report, July 2008 [PDF]
http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310554/isp-level_internet_content_filtering_trial-report.pdf

ACMA 'Content Services Code' approved in July 2008, announced here with link to it:
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/912091/pc=PC_311247
[this seems to apply in relation to Australian hosted content (Sch 7 of the Act) - reader to make their own inquiries! ]

ACMA Annual Report 2007-08
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_100770
Table 25, 'Prohibited/potentially prohibited internet content 2007–08, items actioned ',
Chapter 2: Regulatory environment (continued) - Compliance investigations
HTTP://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311421#compliance

ACMA, 'Internet service providers and law enforcement and national security', Fact Sheet, undated
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_100072

ACMA, 'Internet service providers interception obligations', Fact Sheet, undated
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_100073

ACMA, 'Prohibited Online Content', undated
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD..PC/pc=PC_90102

ACMA, 'Online content complaints', Fact Sheet FS 122, January 2008
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310727

ACMA, 'Online content codes ', May 2005
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_90080
[This has at least in part been superseded by the version approved July 2008. The somewhat confusing situation seems to be this still applies to ISPs in relation to overseas hosted content (Sch 5 of the Act). '''alternative access prevention method' under which ACMA notifies filter makers of prohibited content and ISPs are required to offer filtering products"?]

Classification Board, AGs (formerly OFLC)

Classification Board, Attoney-Generals Department
http://www.classification.gov.au/special.html

NetAlert (current federal government system offering free home PC filters and advice)

NetAlert, FAQ indicating that free PC filters will not be available past 31 Dec 2008
http://www.netalert.gov.au/filters/faqs.html#q15

Legislation and regulatory instruments dealing with related issues

Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (Cth) ("BSA")
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/bsa1992214/
SCHEDULE 5 Online services
SCHEDULE 7 Content services

Communications Legislation Amendment (Content Services) Act 2007 (Cth)
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/num_act/clasa2007544/
[Came into effect 20 January 2008. Sched 7 introduced to BSA, how prohibited content and potential prohibited content is dealt with for Australian-hosted sites versus those that are hosted overseas. Scope of illegal overseas-hosted content significantly broadened.]

Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 (Cth)
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cfacga1995489/

Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Regulations 2005 (Cth)
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_reg/cfacgr2005598/

Guidelines for the Classification of Films and Computer Games 2005 (Cth)
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/management.nsf/lookupindexpagesbyid/IP200508205

National Classification Code, May 2005 (Cth)
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/management.nsf/lookupindexpagesbyid/IP200508203

Communications Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1) 2003 (Cth), Schedule 2: Freedom of Information Act 1982
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/num_act/claa12003395/sch2.html
[One of several amendments which in effect exempt from Freedom of Information Act certain 'internet-content documents' with 'offensive Internet content' of AGS, ACMA, OFLC, Classification Board or Classification Review Board under a power in Sched 5 (later inc. 7) of the BSA, including access methods. Apparent response to earlier EFA attempts to use FOIA to determine content of black lists.]

Copyright Act 1968 (Cth)
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca1968133/s36.html
[s.36 infringement authorisation: "reasonable steps"/"within power", apparent basis of recent iiNet case challenging common carrier role of ISPs, potentially requiring copyright violation filtering or monitoring by ISPs]

Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), s474.19 'Using a carriage service for child pornography material', s474.23 'Using a carriage service for child abuse material'
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cca1995115/sch1.html

Criminal Code 1999 (Qld), s228C 'Distributing child exploitation material'
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/qld/consol_act/cc189994/s228c.html

Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), s91H 'Production, dissemination or possession of child pornography'
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ca190082/s91h.html

Ministerial directions, ACMA declarations etc.

Protecting Australian Families Online Direction No. 2 of 2007, Ministerial direction to ACMA by former Minister Coonan, 9 Jun 2007
http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310032/dir_2of07_protect_aust_families_online.pdf
[Instructions to report by 31 December each year on developments in filtering. Partly illegible.]

Protecting Australian Families Online Direction No. 1 of 2007, Ministerial direction to ACMA by former Minister Coonan, 9 Jun 2007
HTTP://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310032/dir_1of07_protect_aust_families_online.pdf
[Instructions to conduct filtering trial, purposes etc.]

Restricted Access System Declaration 2007, ACMA, 20 December 2007
HTTP://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310905
[requirements for limiting access to MA 15+ and R 18+ content hosted in Australia under Sched 5 or 7 BSA]

Issues for Comment (IFC) 29/2007, 'Proposed Restricted Access Systems Declaration for regulating access to MA15+ and R18+ content and amendments to the Telecommunications Service Provider (Mobile Premium Services) Determination 2005 (No. 1) and the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 1997', ACMA, (26 Oct, part 1 closed on 16 Nov, part 2 closed 29 Nov 2007)
HTTP://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310813
[Consultation document for the RAS Declaration 2007. No such IFC document is apparent for the filtering proposal.]

Co-regulatory codes

Internet Industry Association, ‘Internet Industry Code of Practice: Content Services Code for Industry Co-Regulation in the Area Of Content Services (Pursuant to the Requirements of Schedule 7 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 as amended),’ 24 June 2008
http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310679/registration_of_content_svces_code.pdf

Hansard (transcript of proceedings of Parliamentary discussions)

Senate

Senate debates, 2 December 2008? Senators Conroy and Bernardi, questions re filter trial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XnZPtt-PMs

Senate debates, Hansard of Tuesday 11 November 2008, 'Questions without Notice: National Broadband Network' [sic], Senators Ludlam and Conroy
http://www.openaustralia.org/senate/?id=2008-11-11.34.1 or [long link to ParlInfo]

Senate debates, Hansard of Tuesday 11 November 2008, 'Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers - Mandatory Internet Filtering", Senator Ludlam [long link to ParlInfo]

Senate Estimates

Senate Estimates ECA committee, Hansard of 20 October 2008, p.78 and following, Senators Ludlam and Conroy [link to PDF]

Policy statements, commentary and analysis

Australian

Kerry Miller, "Liberal tyranny on the World Wide Web", Spiked-Online, 10 December 2008
http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/6011/

Geordie Guy, 'Would InternetWatch Actually WORK?, New Matilda, 4 December 2008
http://newmatilda.com/2008/12/04/would-internetwatch-actually-work

'Kids get the message about staying safe online', NAPCAN, media release, 1 December 2008
http://www.napcan.org.au/documents/media%20releases/1%20December%20
media%20release%20DIGITAL%20INDUSTRY%20Final.pdf

Australian Christian Lobby, 'Christian Lobby calls for bipartisan support of ISP filtering,' media release, 1 December 2008
http://www.acl.org.au/pdfs/load_pdf_public.pdf?pdf_id=1230

[author unknown], ''Chinese firewall could be erected in Australia,' Amnesty Internationl Australia news site, 28 November 2008
http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/19915/

Libertus.Net, 'Australian Government Mandatory ISP Filtering/Censorship Plan', updated November 2o08
http://libertus.net/censor/ispfiltering-au-govplan.html

Tom Edwards and Gareth Griffith, Internet Censorship and Mandatory Filtering, E-Brief 5/08, NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service, November 2008, PDF
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/key/InternetCensorshipandMandatoryFiltering
['surveys local and international position and concludes mandatory ISP level filtering is not a feature of many of the countries it reviewed. In place are voluntary ISP filtering schemes designed to prevent accidental access to a defined list of illegal sites containing child pornography.']

Raena Lea-Shannon, 'Conroy's Web,' New Matilda, 20 Nov 2008
http://newmatilda.com/2008/11/20/conroys-web

Nina Funnel (Sydney University), 'Internet 'thinspiration',' Online Opinion, 19 November 2008
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=8170 [anorexia and online censorship]

Antony Loewenstein, 'Government uploads hypocrisy with internet censorship,' Online Opinion, 14 November 2008
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=8162

Philip Annetta, 'First They Came For The Perverts,' New Matilda, 23 Oct 2008
http://newmatilda.com/2008/10/23/first-they-came-perverts

Mark Newton (ISP technical commentator), 'Internet Censorship in Australia', open letter to MP, 20 October 2008
http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2008/10/27/internet-censorship-in-australia-letter-from-mark-newton/

ISOC-AU, Telecommunications Consumer Consultation Meeting, 'Cyber Savvy: Building Confidence in the Internet', 10 March 2008 [notes]
http://isoc-au.org.au/TCCM/tccm100308.html

  • Paul Brooks (independent technical expert), for ISOC-AU, presentation [PPT]
    [technical issues for ISP filtering]

Childwise/ Bernadette McMenamin, 'Abuse Epidemic urges Australians to', Media Release, 12 February 2008
http://www.childwise.net/media_room/media_releases?newsitem=18

Antony Loewenstein, 'URL Not Available,' New Matilda, 26 Feb 2008
http://newmatilda.com/2008/02/26/url-not-available [China and the games]

Michael Flood and Clive Hamilton, Regulating Youth Access to Pornography, Discussion Paper Number 53, The Australia Institute, March 2003 [PDF] https://www.tai.org.au/file.php?file=DP53.pdf
[suggested as one source of the current filter policy, though with youth as would-be users, not as child porn subjects]

International

Internet Watch Foundation, 'IWF statement regarding Wikipedia webpage,' 9 December 2008
http://www.iwf.org.uk/media/news.251.htm
["IWF’s overriding objective is to minimise the availability of indecent images of children on the internet, however, on this occasion our efforts have had the opposite effect. We regret the unintended consequences for Wikipedia and its users." See also Weinstein report below in Media]

Simon Garfield, 'Porn addicts, sex offenders, rapists, paedophiles... the therapists helping the people who can't help themselves', The Guardian, 23 November 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/23/health-wellbeing-therapy-society

The Council of Europe (CoE) guidelines on filtering standards for adoption by member states, 'Recommendation CM/Rec(2008)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on measures to promote the respect for freedom of expression and information with regard to Internet filters', 26 March 2008. [long link]
[The guidelines attempt to balance concerns over pornography, violence, and racism online with freedom of expression and an open Internet.]

Mike Steere, 'Experts: Internet filtering and censorship rife,' CNN online, 21 August 2008
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/08/21/internet.filtering/

[See also Access Denied, in Scholarly Articles or Books, below.]

Selected Blogs/posts
(see other lists for more complete coverage)

Link to blog posts about the UNSW forum on Peter Black's Freedom to Differ ('A blog that speaks freely about legal and policy issues facing the media and the internet)
http://www.freedomtodiffer.com/freedom_to_differ/2008/11/forum-internet-filtering-and-censorship-proposals-1.html

'Government Digital Economy Blog Launch', Beyond the Fringe blog, 9 December 2009
http://www.kadaitcha.com/2008/12/09/government-digital-economy-blog-launch/

'Live filter pilot will not involve real customers,' Somebody Think Of The Children blog, 5 December 2008
http://www.somebodythinkofthechildren.com/live-filter-pilot-will-not-involve-real-customers/

Scholarly articles or books

Ronald Deibert, John Palfrey, Rafal Rohozinski, Jonathan Zittrain, eds., Access Denied: The Practice and Policy of Global Internet Filtering, (Cambridge: MIT Press) 2008, OpenNet Initiative
http://opennet.net/accessdenied

  • 'Australia and New Zealand: a regional overview', OpenNet Initiative, 29 May 2007
    http://opennet.net/research/regions/au-nz
    ['Australia maintains some of the most restrictive Internet policies of any Western nation, while its neighbor, New Zealand, is less rigorous in its Internet regulation. Without any explicit protection of free speech in the constitution, the Australian government has used its "communications power" delineated in the constitution to regulate the availability of offensive content, endowing a government entity with the power to issue take-down notices for Internet content hosted within the country. A number of state and territorial governments in Australia have also passed legislation making the distribution of offensive material a criminal offense, as the constitution does not afford that power to the national government.']

Tyler Moore and Richard Clayton, 'The Impact of Incentives on Notice and Take-down', Seventh Workshop on the Economics of Information Security (WEIS 2008), University of Cambridge, UK, 25–28 June 2008
http://weis2008.econinfosec.org/papers/MooreImpact.pdf

Media Reports

This is a partial collection of recent media reports. Other more complete media references can be found at:


David Barbeler, 'Baby-swinging video uploader fronts court', SMH Online, 18 December 2008
http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/web/babyswinging-video-uploader-fronts-court/2008/12/18/1229189776629.html
[Charged under s. 474.23 Criminal Code (Commonwealth) with using a "carriage service" to transmit child abuse material, not with state offence in Criminal Code Act (Qld) s. 288? Adjourned to 19 Feb 2009, Maroochy Magistrates Court .]

'Man faces court on child abuse charges,' Sunshine Coast Daily News online, 18 December 2008
http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2008/dec/18/man-faces-court-child-abuse-charges/

'Controlling Pornography', ABC Radio National Rear Vision, 14 December 2008
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/rearvision/stories/2008/2441653.htm

Pictures of national public protests on 13 December 2008
Sydney http://picasaweb.google.com/elomis/CleanFeedProtest#
 Adelaide [JPG1 ] [JPG2] [JPG3]

Asher Moses, 'New hurdle for net censorship', The Age online, 12 December 2008
http://www.theage.com.au/news/home/technology/new-hurdle-for-net-censorship/2008/12/12/1228585100603.html

Dan Warne, 'The 10 sins of Senator Conroy, the blogger,' 9 December 2008
http://apcmag.com/the_10_sins_of_senator_conroy.htm

Asher Moses, 'Labor plan to censor internet in shreds,' SMH online, 9 December 2008
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/12/09/1228584820006.html

Bellinda Kontominas, 'Simpsons cartoon rip-off is child porn: judge,' SMH online, 8 December 2008
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/simpsonsstyle-cartoon-is-child-porn/2008/12/08/1228584707575.html
See also http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24767142-29277,00.html

Recent case: McEwen v Simmons & anor [2008] NSWSC 1292 (8 December 2008), NSW Supreme Court, Judge Adams
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/nsw/supreme_ct/2008/1292.html
[it confirmed a conviction for "offences of 'possessing child pornography' contrary to s 91H(3) of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), and 'using ... computer to access child pornography material' contrary to s474.19(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth)" - see above for links.]

Asher Moses, 'Wikipedia added to child pornography blacklist,' SMH online, 8 December 2008
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/12/08/1228584723764.html

Ry Crozier, 'Conroy goes back to school on Internet content filters,' ITNews, 8 December 2008
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/90656,conroy-goes-back-to-school-on-net-filters.aspx

Lauren Weinstein, 'Brits' Failed Heavy Metal Censorship Attempt Disrupts Wikipedia Edits', Lauren Weinstein's Blog, 7 December 2008
http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000478.html
[See also IWF statement above in International]

Asher Moses, 'Cash floods in for anti-censorship protests, ' The Age/SMH/ Brisbane Times Technology, 5 December 2008
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/12/05/1228257282965.html

Iljitsch van Beijnum, 'Australia's Internet filtering too ambitious, doomed to fail,' Ars Technica, December 2008
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081205-australias-internet-filtering-too-ambitious-doomed-to-fail.html

timothy, 'Clarifying the Next Step in Australia's Net-Censorship Scheme,' Slashdot, 5 December 2008,'
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/12/05/0355227&from=rss

Darren Pauli, 'Anti content filtering rebels take to the streets - Protests planned across the country,'
Computerworld, 03 December 2008
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/269615/anti_content_filtering_rebels_take_streets

Kathryn Small, 'Young Labor calls for an opt-in system,' Ban This URL, 3 December 2008
http://www.banthisurl.com/2008/12/young-labor-calls-for-an-opt-in-system/
['“We want an opt-in system,” Janai Tabbernor, president of NSW Young Labor, told Ban This URL.']

BBC Digital Planet, segment on filtering trial at end of program, 2 December 2008 [streaming audio]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/digital_planet.shtml

Peter Hoysted, 'Wrong way Conroy persists in censorship,' Jack the Insider Blog, The Australian online, 1 December 2008 [long link]

Asher Moses, 'Children's welfare groups slam net filters,' SMH/ The Age/ Brisbane Times online , 1 December 2008
http://www.smh.com.au/news/home/technology/net-censor-plan-blasted/2008/11/28/1227491813497.html
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/11/28/1227491813497.html
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/technology/childrens-welfare-groups-slam-net-filters/2008/11/28/1227491813497.html

ABC Local Radio 2BL Sydney, interview with Alana Maurushat re: the forum, 27 November 2008 8:45 am
ABC Local Radio Illawarra, interview with David Vaile, 27 November 2008, 3:45 pm
ABC Local Radio Newcastle, interview with David Vaile, 26 November 2008.

Adrian Raschella, 'Govt push for mandatory internet filtering', ABC TV 7:30 Report, 24 November 2008
Transcript: http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2008/s2428304.htm
Video: rtsp://media1.abc.net.au/reallibrary/730report/200811/20081124-730-cyber2_16_9_bband.rm [Real, high bandwidth]
Video: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=IWoUB66FFb8 [YouTube]

John Davidson, 'Fight for right to BitTorrent,' Australian Financial Review, 25 November 2008, p.32.
[Not freely accessible online. Satirical, example of querying potential connections between the recent iiNet law suit, the new Bermeister/Speck copyright surveillance service, and the proposed Australian-government-mandated ISP content filter as they may all challenge the role of ISPs as 'common carriers'.]

Asher Moses, 'Film companies sue iiNet 'for allowing piracy'', SMH online, 20 November 2008
http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/biztech/film-pirates-put-iinet-in-the-dock/2008/11/20/1226770617457.html
[query whether ISP level filtering is required for proposed solution; see also Bermeister/Speck story below]

Andrew Hendry, 'OpenNet Initiative: Australia’s content filtering “frightening”', ARN Net, 19 November, 2008
http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/267938/opennet_initiative_australia_content_filtering_frightening
['A collaboration of Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford and Toronto universities warns that Internet filtering is prone to error, collateral filtering and underblocking, no matter where or how it is implemented' - see Access Denied, below]

Andrew Hendry, 'ACS creates task force, UNSW to hold forum on Internet filtering - Controversial mandatory Internet filtering under the microscope again', CIO magazine, 18 November 2008
http://www.cio.com.au/article/267818/acs_creates_task_force_unsw_hold_forum_internet_filtering

'ISP filtering', Australia Talks, Radio National, 18 November 2008
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/australiatalks/stories/2008/2419136.htm or [ MP3]:
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/current/audioonly/ats_20081118.mp3
Guests: Mark Pesce, Honorary lecturer in Digital Cultures, University of Sydney; Clive Hamilton, Professor of Public Ethics at Charles Sturt University; Dale Clapperton, spokesperson, Electronic Frontiers Australia; Anthony Pillion, managing director Webshield; Bernadette McMenamin, CEO, Child Wise

Fran Foo, 'Canberra calls net filter trial', The Australian, IT 11 November 2008
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24632210-15306,00.html

Asher Moses, 'Net censorship plan backlash', The Age, 11 November 2008
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/11/11/1226318639085.html

Liam Tung, 'Conroy calls for filter pilot volunteers', ZDNet.com.au, 11 November 2008
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Conroy-calls-for-filter-pilot-volunteers/0,130061733,339293134,00.htm

Alex Serpo, 'Filter plans a step too far: NetRegistry', ZDNet.com.au 10 November 2008
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Filter-plans-a-step-too-far-NetRegistry/0,130061744,339293109,00.htm

'The Great Firewall of Australia', The Media Report, ABC Radio, 30 October 2008
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2405376.htm

Lisa Creffield , 'Internet Censorship', Sky News, c. 29 October 2008 [Flash Video interview with Minister Conroy] http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=oCVIPC6nIfA [revised link] [script]

"Internet 'Clean Feed' met with stern opposition", Radio National PM, 29 October 2008 [link]

Asher Moses, 'Rivals combine to combat crime', The Age, Technology section, 29 October 2008
http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/biztech/kazaa-foes-join-up-to-fight-pirates-and-porn/2008/10/28/1224956013205.html
[Kevin Bermeister, sued by global music industry in Kazaa litigation, and Michael Speck, former head of Music Industry Piracy Investigations (MIPI) which ran lawsuit against Kazaa, jointly announce new filtering technology claimed able to remove both pornography and piracy from P2P networks.]

Nate Anderson, 'Australia's Internet filter: could legal content be banned, too?', Ars technica, 28 October 2008
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081028-australias-internet-filter-could-legal-content-be-banned-too.html

Asher Moses, 'Family First demands wider internet filters', SMH Online, 28 October 2008
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/family-first-demands-wider-internet-filters/2008/10/27/1224955948624.html

Andrew Hendry and Darren Pauli,"'Appalled' opposition hits back at Conroy’s Internet censorship - The Government’s attempts to silence criticism of content filtering sparks outrage," Computerworld, 24 October 2008
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;879301684

AFP, 'Australia's plans to filter Internet under fire,' The Age online, 2 January 2008
http://news.theage.com.au/technology/australias-plans-to-filter-internet-under-fire-20080102-1jwl.html

[unattributed], 'Conroy announces mandatory internet filters to protect children', ABC Online News, 31 December 2007
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/31/2129471.htm

Video etc.

David Jackmanson, 'Stop Australian Internet Censorship: Rally Sat Dec 13 2008', YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBdWjIrUn4

Lisa Creffield , 'Internet Censorship', Sky News, c. 29 October 2008 [Flash Video interview with Minister Conroy]
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=oCVIPC6nIfA [script]

Potentially Relevant Organisations or programs

These are a selection of organisations understood to be involved in some way in policy discussions or practical activity or regulation in this area. Note that, given the potential for uses of the proposed filter systems beyond child porn/child protection issues, there will be other organisations in other fields with an interest in aspects of the proposal. (As with all other references listed, no endorsement or criticism is intended or implied by inclusion on this list.)

Australian Christian Lobby
http://www.acl.org.au/

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
http://www.acma.gov.au/

Australian Computer Society
http://www.acs.org.au

Bravehearts [internet safety page, passing mention of filters]
http://www.bravehearts.org.au/internetsafety.ews

Civil Liberties Australia, 'CensorFree' site
http://www.cla.asn.au/
http://www.censorfree.com.au/

ChildWise
http://www.childwise.net/

Classification Board, Commonwealth Attoney-Generals Department
http://www.classification.gov.au/

Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE)
http://www.dbcde.gov.au/

Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA), No Clean Feed site
http://www.efa.org.au/
http://nocleanfeed.com/

Getup, 'Save the Net' campaign
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/SaveTheNet/ [see also fact sheet]

Family First [political party]
http://www.familyfirst.org.au/

Internet Industry Association (IIA)
http://www.iia.net.au/

Internet Society of Australia
http://www.isoc-au.org.au

Internet Watch Foundation UK
http://www.iwf.org.uk/
['The UK Hotline for reporting illegal content, specifically, child sexual abuse content hosted worldwide, and criminally obscene and incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK', see Annual Report 2007, April 2008]

National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN)
http://www.napcan.org.au/

Netalert (ACMA and DBCDE), including advice, report form, free filters for PCs
[not available free after 31 December 2008?]
http://www.netalert.gov.au/

Save the Children Australia
http://www.savethechildren.org.au/

Stop The Clean Feed/'Australians Against Internet Censorship' [organising rallies on 13 December 2008]
http://stopthecleanfeed.com/

System Administrators Guild of Australia (SAGE-AU)
http://www.sage-au.org.au/

[unknown attribution] MySpace page
http://www.myspace.com/NOCLEANFEED

Feedback

We seek your help to correct and complete this list of the most relevant references.
Please send any corrections or suggestions for appropriate references to:
feedback [at] cyberlawcentre.org (insert the '@' symbol we omit to deter spammers)