Automatic internet censorship?!?

[DJsnypa]

Australians with the internet could soon have content automatically censored! The government is now trying to bring in restrictions on internet content that all ISPs will have to follow.
These restrictions could block many great sites, and Newgrounds is probably going to be on the "Blacklist". They will block sites with voilence, pornography and anything else they deem to be "inappropriate". But they haven't told us exactly what they mean by that...
Anyway, leave me your thoughts and make sure you read the full article below.

READ MORE HERE

P.S. Thanks to RubberNinja for bringing this to my attention.

[Christopherr]

Err, this isn't a new development. China's done it to cover up murders and such.

[Al6200]

I know but it's Australia

[Gunter45]

At 1/9/08 10:05 PM, Al6200 wrote: I know but it's Australia

And many of us Americans aren't entirely familiar with your code of laws in Australia. What is the general rule on free expression?

[Christopherr]

At 1/9/08 10:05 PM, Al6200 wrote: I know but it's Australia

Australia isn't really a hot button for me :/

What would they want to censor anyways? Everything there is awesome.

[sdhonda]

Wanna post an article or something? Then maybe Ill have enough info to care.

[KeithHybrid]

At 1/9/08 10:13 PM, Christopherr wrote:

At 1/9/08 10:05 PM, Al6200 wrote: I know but it's Australia

Australia isn't really a hot button for me :/

What would they want to censor anyways? Everything there is awesome.

Stuff that doesn't come from Austrailia *coughnewgroundscough*

[SEXY-FETUS]

Remember it's for the children.

[Al6200]

At 1/9/08 10:07 PM, Gunter45 wrote:

At 1/9/08 10:05 PM, Al6200 wrote: I know but it's Australia

And many of us Americans aren't entirely familiar with your code of laws in Australia. What is the general rule on free expression?

I'm not Australian, I'm American, but I know that Australia is a strong democracy, and has a tradition of alliance with America.

It's a real shame to see any sort of government censorship.

[Christopherr]

At 1/10/08 03:31 PM, Al6200 wrote: I'm not Australian, I'm American, but I know that Australia is a strong democracy, and has a tradition of alliance with America.
It's a real shame to see any sort of government censorship.

WWII would've been lost had they not censored information, so I wouldn't say any censorship.

[homor]

i fucking hate austraila now.

the only two good things to come out of austrailua are that band that made the song "down under" and a dead man.

[sdhonda]

What about AC/DC?

[DELUCA2400]

Austraila is a dictatorship they block sites because some kid might've killed someone and the parents blame the site. They say Santa ca'nt say Ho Ho Ho because it's innapropriate. Also I don't know if I'm right but doesn't Austraila choose if you can live their or not. I'm not sure but I heard about it.

[LadyGrace]

Regardless of nation, this is dangerous. It's always been commonplace in China because... well... they're the Chinese. However, that doesn't make it anymore acceptable. People, even some Chinese themselves, are outraged at any censorship. This becomes a more upsetting predicament if instigated in Australia because the more it becomes acceptable to censor globally, the more acceptable it will become in the United States. However, though they have a penchant toward socialism, the Australians have always been concerned with safety, responsibility, and freedom.

This new issue presents a very precarious situation. Not only because of the slippery arguments of "what one deems acceptable, another can find horrible", but also because they can use the media to push their own agendas further drawing Australian citizens toward slavery. This may seem a slippery slope argument. However, it has basis in historical facts. Whenever a civilization wants to keep their citizens ignorant, it is the cause or result of slavery. This is an extremely dangerous situation. Hopefully, people will find such ideas not only a complete imposition on freedom, but laughably ridiculous.

[DELUCA2400]

Exactly it's just like George Orwell predicting Big Brother is just around the corner. I'm glad to see that America isn't completely ther yet, but it's close and that should scare us.

[sdhonda]

1984 wasnt really prophetic, it was more of an exageration of world war 2s use of media to manipulate its citizens.

Ah, so I looked it up. The sites that will allegedly be targeted are pretty much just child porn sites. While I dont think it will lead to a wholesale dictatorship, there is definitly a slippery slope there.

But, it seems theres some sort of opt out policy.

[SadisticMonkey]

Australians who want uncensored access to the web will have to contact their Internet service provider and "opt out" of the service.

This is the only redeeming feature, but the fact they are doing it in the first place is just stupid. I'm willing to bet the majority of Internet usage is by people who don't want filtering.

[Empanado]

I don't get it. What sites could the Australians censor anyway? I mean, is there anything in there that could be censored? Hot kangaroo on koala action? Didgeridoo porn? Billabong fetish?

[SadisticMonkey]

At 1/11/08 07:39 PM, Empanado wrote: I don't get it. What sites could the Australians censor anyway? I mean, is there anything in there that could be censored? Hot kangaroo on koala action? Didgeridoo porn? Billabong fetish?

Because we don't use the Internet, which is connected to every site in the world?

[Attactivist]

Internet without porn = NOT the internet!

[Christopherr]

At 1/12/08 06:57 PM, Attactivist wrote: Internet without porn = NOT the internet!

Porn isn't a good thing anyways. If it were, then people would respect porn-watchers.

[Attactivist]

At 1/12/08 07:06 PM, Christopherr wrote: Porn isn't a good thing anyways. If it were, then people would respect porn-watchers.

That's bullshit. Everyone watchs porn, they just don't talk about it.

As Martha Stewart would say...

"Porn. It's a good thing."

[Christopherr]

At 1/12/08 07:10 PM, Attactivist wrote

That's bullshit. Everyone watchs porn, they just don't talk about it.
As Martha Stewart would say...
"Porn. It's a good thing."

No, it's not a good thing. I, for one, do not watch porn.

Some people just don't talk about it because they don't watch it, retard.

[Idiot-Finder]

At 1/11/08 07:39 PM, Empanado wrote: I don't get it. What sites could the Australians censor anyway? I mean, is there anything in there that could be censored? Hot kangaroo on koala action? Didgeridoo porn? Billabong fetish?

I would prefer kangaroo on tasmanian devil action.

[SmilezRoyale]

The law says it's working towards blocking internet material that is sexual or violent from CHILDEREN.

individuals under 18 aren't permitted by law to look at pornography, it's already a law i am asuming. The only reason people didn't mind this law is because it was never enforced, and people could still get their pornography with little risk of getting in trouble for it.

The australians are trying to enforce an already existing law, if you are 11 years old and looking at violent material that is rated 17+ you are already breaking the law.

This isn't an issue of expanding legal power to take away peoples rights, this is an issue over whether or not people want to put themselfs in danger of being caught doing something that is already illegal.

This article doesn't specify if the government is blocking websites with violent and sexual material completely in order to prevent children from getting their hands on it, but if it is, then i would be against it; I don't like fiscal policy working by means of 'proximity law enforcement' Attacking everyone just to fix a specific problem.

If not, then this argument is a question of whether or not you think that childeren under 13 are entitled to explicit language, whether teens under 17 are entitled to excessive violence, and whether teens under 18 are entitled to sexual material.

[Attactivist]

At 1/12/08 08:23 PM, Christopherr wrote: Some people just don't talk about it because they don't watch it, retard.

you're a fag.

[Christopherr]

At 1/12/08 09:53 PM, Attactivist wrote: you're a fag.

How do you think people got by before porn was invented? You're telling me that they are all fags?

[catman03]

GODAMNIT! I am getting so pissed off! Censorship is already ridiculous, but now they might take it to an absurd level! THAT'S BULLSHIT! If they do that then i will go to Australia and murder their fucking government.

[Attactivist]

Ok, are you fucking serious? People have has sexual stimuli for AGES, from the first time a man drew a tit on his cave wall, to the ancient sculptures of mates coupling, to the Tijuana bibles in the early 1900's, to the first issue of Playboy printed in 1953, to the internet age where every sexual act imaginable is one click away. "Pornography or porn is, in it's broadest state, the explicit representation of the human body or sexual activity with the goal of sexual arousal and/or sexual relief." Don't ask me what people did before porn was "invented", it has always existed. How dare you insult my intelligence you prick, maybe your to "high & mighty" to admit it, but that doesn't make it "bad". Maybe you should leave NG and go back to posting on your conservative Christian blog telling everyone how you defended your faith against the sinful "porn hustlers" such as myself.

Got anything else to say?

[SmilezRoyale]

Promiscuity isn't a sin, it's just a sign of Weakness. Just like Giving into any Vestigial urge.

What's the phrase...

Evolution has made a monkey of you.