Internet censorship
The Australian Federal Government is pushing forward with a plan to force Internet Service Providers [ISPs] to censor the Internet for all Australians. This plan will waste tens of millions of taxpayer dollars and slow down Internet access.
Despite being almost universally condemned by the public, ISPs, State Governments, Media and censorship experts, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy is determined to force this filter into your home.
You can learn more here at the No Clean Feed website.
I've written a letter to Senator Conroy (based on a draft from haqr_spice - thanks!), and I'm also sending it to my local member, Anthony Albanese.
I urge you to do the same.
Parliamentary contact details here
Dear Minister,
As an Australian and an Internet user, I have serious concerns about your mandatory Internet filtering initiative.
I believe, along with many of my friends and colleagues, that the filter you propose will stunt the Australian Internet experience and stifle innovation in this industry. I take offence at the proposition that Australian adults are not capable of deciding what content they do and do not want to find on the Internet.
The successful growth of business in the Internet industry comes from faster access, a fluid experience for users increases demand and drives revenue. Given the importance your Government has attached to modernising Australia's broadband network, pursuing a policy that can only slow down and increase the costs of home internet access seems misguided at best.
I am not convinced that the proposed filter does anything to empower children, nor add any legal provisions for content that is already deemed illegal.
Australian households are diverse, so mandating a one-size-fits-all clean feed approach will not serve the public well. I don't think it is the Government's role to decide what's appropriate for me or my children, and neither do most Australians.
Given the amount of Internet content available, the Government will never be able to classify it all and filters will always result in an unacceptable level of over-blocking. I feel that the time and money could be spent in better ways both to protect children and improve Australia's digital infrastructure.
Yours sincerely,
Penelope Robinson
Despite being almost universally condemned by the public, ISPs, State Governments, Media and censorship experts, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy is determined to force this filter into your home.
You can learn more here at the No Clean Feed website.
I've written a letter to Senator Conroy (based on a draft from haqr_spice - thanks!), and I'm also sending it to my local member, Anthony Albanese.
I urge you to do the same.
Parliamentary contact details here
Dear Minister,
As an Australian and an Internet user, I have serious concerns about your mandatory Internet filtering initiative.
I believe, along with many of my friends and colleagues, that the filter you propose will stunt the Australian Internet experience and stifle innovation in this industry. I take offence at the proposition that Australian adults are not capable of deciding what content they do and do not want to find on the Internet.
The successful growth of business in the Internet industry comes from faster access, a fluid experience for users increases demand and drives revenue. Given the importance your Government has attached to modernising Australia's broadband network, pursuing a policy that can only slow down and increase the costs of home internet access seems misguided at best.
I am not convinced that the proposed filter does anything to empower children, nor add any legal provisions for content that is already deemed illegal.
Australian households are diverse, so mandating a one-size-fits-all clean feed approach will not serve the public well. I don't think it is the Government's role to decide what's appropriate for me or my children, and neither do most Australians.
Given the amount of Internet content available, the Government will never be able to classify it all and filters will always result in an unacceptable level of over-blocking. I feel that the time and money could be spent in better ways both to protect children and improve Australia's digital infrastructure.
Yours sincerely,
Penelope Robinson