Conroy’s Christmas present, Internet censorship #nocleanfeed

Stephen Conroy has delivered his Christmas present early, ISP level Internet filter. Tuesday afternoon the government announced that was giving the green light to its controversial censorship plan. And Conroy stated that we can look forward to legislation being introduced next year, ahead of the election.

Yesterday news sites, blogs and twitter erupted in a furore over the plans. Below are some articles on the subject I though were interesting:

• Internet censorship plan gets the green light (Asher Moses, SMH, 15 Dec 2009)
• Scott talks to ABC PM about net filtering (Scott Ludlam, The Greens, 16 Dec 2009)
• Internet filter to protect her children from porn and other horrors gives mother some peace of mind (Mahesh Sharma, The Australian, 16 Dec 2009)
  The tale of computer-illiterate mother who is deluded, and thinks that te filter will protect her children.
• Australian Internet Screwed (Jeff Engert, 15 Dec 2009)
• SMH poll on the Internet Censorship
  Over 21000 votes, 96% NO.
• ZDNet Australia poll – Do you support a mandatory internet filter?
  Over 1100 votes, 96.4% NO.
• ISP blocking – our evaluation report (Telstra, 15 Dex 2009)
  Telstra’s report on why they think the filtering they tested works. And people’s comments about this.
• Our views on Mandatory ISP Filtering (Iarla Flynn, Google Australia, 16 Dec 2009)
  How Google thinks the proposal is extreme and uncalled for.
• Net censorship move a smokescreen: expert (Asher Moses, SMH, 16 Dec 2009)
  How the filter test was designed to succeed, so wasn’t really a fair trial.
• Conroy’s Clean Feed Won’t Block Child P*rn (Mark Newton, NewMatilda, 16 Dec 2009)
• Net censorship trial report brings more questions than answers (EFA, 15 Dec 2009)
• At what point does internet filtering become censorship? (Gordon Farrer, SMH, 16 Dec 2009)
• Abbott drawn into filter debate (Suzanne Tindal, ZDNet Australia, 16 Dec 2009)
• Child groups slam Conroy’s ISP filtering plans (Kathryn Edwards, Computerworld, 16 Dec 2009)
• Net filters ‘thin end of the wedge’: Kirby (Asher Moses, SMH, 17 Dec 2009)
  Kirby’s view on the filter, and a rehash of what everyone else has said of the last day.

Edit 2009.12.18: A couple I forgot to include yesterday.

• Bernard Keane’s guide to writing to Ministers (Bernard Keane, Crikey, 16 Dec 2009)
  Tips for writing a letter to ministers so you don’t just get a form letter answer, and the best ways to consume ministerial time.
• World media covers Australia’s “Chinese-style” Internet filtering (Craig Wilson, Mediahunter, 16 Dev 2009)
  A list of article in the international media about the governments Internet filtering announcement.
• Evidence-based policy? Not on this filter! (Stilgherrian, ABC, 17 Dec 2009)
  Questions how politicians can claim evidence-based policy without using any scientific method to elicit evidence.
• Stephen Conroy: Minister for Fascism
  A funny cartoon, and commentary on the Internet filter announcement.
• Why the Internet filter is not the solution we wish it was (Penny Sharpe, 16 Dec 2009)
  Commentary by Labor politician from the NSW upper house criticising the Internet filtering decision.
• Net filtering ‘plan’ is a fraud (Jamie Briggs, The Punch, 17 Dec 2009)

Edit 2009.12.20: And a couple more.

• Open letter to Australia’s Prime Minister (Jean-François Julliard, Reporters Without Borders, 18 Dec 2009)
  Letter from Reporters Without Borders condemning the proposed filters.
• The Ruddbot giveth and the Ruddbot taketh away (John Birmingham, SMH, 19 Dec 2009)
  The federal government opens a hearing on R-18+ computer games with one hand, and closes the Internet with the other.
• My thoughts on the Filter (Kate Lundy, 17 Dec 2009)
  A Labour senator who initially opposed the filter has changed her mind, or is she just towing the party line for self preservation?
• Web filter to block internet nasties will compromise NBN, say providers (Mahesh Sharma, Pamela Koh, The Australian, 17 Dec 2009)
• Conroy plans speed humps for Australia’s freeways (aturner, SMH, 18 Dec 2009)
  A great analogy for describing the problem to less technology literate people.
• auDA take down stephenconroy.com.au (Nicholas Perkins, StopInternetCensorship.org, 18 Dec 2009)
• The Great Australian Internet Blackout
  Site for the EFA campaign against the proposed filter
• Video mashup – Internet Censorship Australia (jimboot, YouTube, 18 Dec 2009)

Edit 2009.12.22

• How to build a successful Internet filter (David Heath, itwire, 20 Dec 2009)
  Comment of the number of things you would need to block to have n effective Internet filter.
• auDA: No govt request to kill Conroy site (Suzanne Tindal, ZDNet Australia, 21 Dec 2009)
  auDA denies that political preasure was the reason for the cancelation of stephenconroy.com.au.
• The Gift of Censorship (Protesting Australian Internet Censorship)
• Filter opponents: change tactics or fail (Josh Mehlman, ABC, 22 Dec 2009)
  What the anti-censorship campaign needs to think about to get support from the wider community.
• Why the language of #nocleanfeed dooms the movement to failure. (David Olsen, Pointless Reality, 16 Dec 2009)
• Telstra, Optus And Primus All Announce Support For Conroy’s Filter (Nick Broughall, Gizmodo, 16 Dec 2009)
  How some of the major telcos are giving support to the Internet censorship proposal, though probably so as not to put the government off side on the NBN.
• An open letter to Senator Stephen Conroy from a concerned parent! (Jonathan Crossfield, Atomik Soapbox, 17 Dec 2009)

Edit 2009.12.23

• Australian government plans internet censorship (Jim Giles, NewScientist, 21 Dec 2009)
• On the limitations of using content classification as a crime fighting technique (Jon Seymour, 22 Dec 2009)
• The language needed by #nocleanfeed to succeed in the “real world”. (David Olsen, Pointless Reality, 22 Dec 209)
  Notes on how the campaign might like to change the language/tact it uses to better respond to Conroy.
• Pupils ‘bypassing school internet security’ (Iain Mackenzie, BBC, 22 Dec 2009)
  How students at schools in the UK are just bypassing the filters in place at schools.
• Stephen Conroy: Dear Crikey, here’s why you’re wrong (Stephen Conroy, Crikey, 23 Dec 2009)
  Conroy responds to critics of his plan. Although he has got some of his figures wrong according to comments.
• Parents trap Facebook predator (SMH, 23 DEc 2009)
  Why parent supervision of children’s internet usage is important, and not just rely on ‘mandatory Internet filters’.

Edit 2009.12.27

• How To Defeat Labor’s Internet Censorship: A Liberal Hack’s Perspective (Tim Andrews, 22 Dec 2009)
  The opinion that discussing the filters with Labor is useless, that a better approach is to convince the Liberals to block it in the Senate. As well as language and arguments you should use to do this.
• Letter to the Senator (jethro, Spy Journal 3.0, 24 Dec 2009)
  A slightly edited letter sent to Senator Trood. Presented as an example of what you should write.
• Protecting whom from what? (Gunnel Arrback, the Swedish National Film Classification Board, Sept 2003)
• China Closes Down The Internet (Gordon G. Chang, Forbes, 25 Dec 2009)
  The Chinese government has a thing against porn on the Internet. They have an existing black list policy and filtering solution, but stuff still gets through. So they are going to implement a ‘white list’ policy, where all sites have to register to be added to the white list. All this just to block porn.
  Can anyone else see the parallels here?

Edit 2009.12.28

• The Rudd Government’s not censoring the Australian Internet – it’s censoring older people (Australia Uncensored, 27 Dec 2009)
• ISP Filtering – Frequently Asked Questions (Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, 17 Dec 2009)
  The official FAQ for the proposed filter scheme.
• ISP Filtering – Frequently Asked Questions (with annotation) (Jon Seymour, keepingthebastardshonest.net, 21 Dec 2009)
  An annotated version of the FAQ, pointing out where some of the language is wrong or misleading. (Blog entry)
• Broadbanned Revolution – fight the philterphiles that be. (Jon Seymour)
  Blog with posts about the filtering scheme.
• Electronic Frontiers Australia ramps up anti-filtering campaign (Stuart Corner, iTWire, 28 Dec 2009)

Edit 2009.12.31

• Commentary: Why we don’t need a filter (Mark Newton, iTWire, 17 Dec 2009)
  An ISP engineer’s perspective on why we don’t need to proposed internet filter.
• ACMA Blacklists Iran Protest Video & Boing Boing (Chris, OrzeszekBlog, 28 Aug 2009)
  An example of how the proposed filters could be used to censor political content, just by marking it RC.
• A Personal 2009 End Of Year Political Shame List (ClarengeGirl, 31 Dec 2009)
  A list of politicians that delete complaints email rather than reading it, self filtering.
• Restricted Access System Declaration 2007 (ACMA, 15 May 2009)
  Details of the existing black list system.
• Subverting National Internet Censorship – An Investigation into existing Tools and Techniques (Jason Smart, Kyle Tedeschi, Daniel Meakins, Peter Hannay & Christopher Bolan, Edith Cowan University, 1 Dec 2008)
  A paper written about the ease of subverting the proposed filtering system.

Edit 2010.01.01

• Filtering of websites does not make a nanny state (Ruth Limkin, CourierMail, 1 Jan 2010)
  Brisbane pastor that agrees with Conroy’s filter policy, although they are too believing of Conroy’s rhetoric.
• Web Filtering does not make a Nanny State (Ruth Limkin, 1 Jan 2010)
  Brisbane pastor that agrees with Conroy’s filter policy without understanding the rhetoric.
• Christian Pastor falls for Conroy’s Con (Mike Fitzsimon, 1 Jan 2010)
  Mike’s response to the above pastor, explaining where they are wrong in their understanding.
• On ABC3 and Internet Filtering (Will Briggs, God’s’Will, 1 Jan 2010)
  An Anglican minister’s view on why TV and the Internet are not the same thing, and why they should be classified differently.

Edit 2010.01.02

• Dangerous Assumptions (The Sleepydumpling, 2 Jan 2010)
  Why both sides of the Internet filter debate need to stop seeing each other as the enemy. And why focus should be changed to, why is the government trying to censor the Internet?
• Help Stop the Tyranny of Censorship (2 Jan 2010)
  Why the government should not be censoring the Internet. And why the money would be better spent on parent education and police to enforce existing laws.
• Internet filter: just geeks beating their chests? (David Heath, iTWire, 31 Dec 2009)
  Why opponents to the filter need to focus on non-IT arguments. And a list of non-IT reasons why the filter is bad.

Edit 2010.01.03

• Je n’irai pas surfer en Australie (Olivier Tesquet, 31 Dec 2009)
  French article commenting that Australia is about to become the most restrictive industrialised country in relation to the Internet.

Edit 2010.01.04

• Tighten controls on net downloads, says Bono (The Australian, 4 Jan 2010)
  Part of Bono’s new year’s letter is pro-censorship. And even he seems to tie into the child porn theme.
• Ban This Game! (Conor O’Kane)
  A humorous game about censorship in Australian .
• Australia To Enforce Mandatory Chinese-Style Internet Censorship (AfterAmerica, 3 Jan 2010)
  American article criticising the Australian Internet filtering policy. And recognising that if it gets through in Australia it might next be implemented in the USA.
• Fighting the Cleanfeed Filter with Evidence of Its Futility (Snurb, 17 Dec 2009)
  Blog post about the lack of evidence based assessment used by the government, with a link to a document by 3 leading media savvy university professors.
• Australia’s 20 Worst Cases of Censorship and Moral Panic in 2009 (Michael Meloni, 3 Jan 2009)
  Cases of overreaction and censorship in Australia in 2009.
• Block the Filter
  A group of Australians representing the general Australian public, fighting for their right for uncensored internet and free speech.

Edit 2010.01.05

• The Australian National Internet Filtering Scheme
  A parody site describing how the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Eekonomy’s filter will work.
• Cyber safety and internet service provider filtering (Stephen Conroy, Machinegun Keyboard)
  Stephen Conroy’s response to a complaints letter.
• Australian Government To Delay Internet Censorship Until After Next Election (Duncan Riley, The Inquisitr, 3 Jan 2010)
  Analysis of the letter, policy and timeslines available to suggest that the filtering policy will not be implemented until after the next election. If only to save the governments bacon.
• Stephenconroy.com.au is back for good (David Heath, iTWire, 4 Jan 2010)
  The domain is back after ‘stephenconroy’ was registered as a business name.
• Stephenconroy.com.au Downfall (stephenconroyau, YouTube, 18 Dec 2009)
  Using a snippet of the movie Downfall to parody Stephen Conroy’s missing of getting his own name as a domain.
• Australian Net Filter Protest Site Returns (kdaws, Slashdot, 5 Jan 2010)
  Discussion about the removal and re-registration of the stephenconroy.com.au domain.

Edit 2010.01.06

• Pervert Conroy? (Mike Fitzsimon, 6 Jan 2010)
  Cartoon about Conroy’s name calling of people opposed to the filter.
• The King Canute of Cyberspace! (Yes, I’m laughing at you, Kevin Rudd) (ClarenceGirl, 6 Jan 2010)
  Querying how the Internet filter can hope to keep up with the growth of the Internet, that there is sure to be a hugh slippage in standards.
• Australian government pushes ahead with internet censorship (Richard Phillips, WSWS, 29 Dec 2009)
  A level headed assessment of filters, the reasons people have given for their inability to work, an assessment of how it may be extended to include political views and be used for surveillance.
• No Clean Feed campaign needs to drop their “censorship” obsession (Alex White, 6 Jan 2010)
  Analysing why the ‘censorship’ argument is not effective in Australia. Why the general public isn’t worried by it. And what the campaign should focus on.
• ISP filter trial company stands by test results (David Ramli, ARN, 6 Jan 2010)
  Company behind the trials, Enex, is happy to see an audit of the report. And they see no why a heaver load would adversely effect the filters. “The number of people who are on the filter itself, the number of people on the system and whether they’re being filtered or not, is irrelevant,“
• Government Internet Filter Expected To Be Roaring Success (WetPaperNews, 17 Dec 2009)
  (Parody) Press release about how effective the filter system will be.
• Outrage and Fear (Leslie, Department of Internets, 3 Jan 2010)
  The pro filter site has harnessed ‘fear’. The anti filter side is having trouble harnessing it. Perhaps they need to harness another emotion.
• The No Clean Feed Campaign (traediras, deviantART, 6 Jan 2010)
  An artist worried about how the filter will affect the careers of artists and potential artists.

Edit 2010.01.08

• The problem of crowd-sourcing campaigns (Alex White, 7 Jan 2010)
  An analyses of the benefits and problems with crowd-sourcing, specificity in relation to the anti-filter campaign.
• EFA welcomes Peter Black as our new campaign manager (Nic, EFA, 7 Jan 2010)
  Announcement that a campaign manager has been appointed for EFA’s anti-filter campaign.
• How Conroy Has Won on Mandatory Internet Filtering (Alex Schlotzer, The Angle, 23 Dec 2009)
  Analysis that the current anti-filter campaign is too divided. That people need to think about the politics of the situation, and focus their efforts where they are more useful. This means selecting the right bodies to lobby. And getting the off -line public involved.
• China: Reaffirms Plans to “Purify” the Interne (Jared Moya, ZeroPaid, 1 Jan 2010)
  China’s intensive censorship of the Internet is justified as removing porn so as to preserve “national long-term stability,” build a “harmonious socialist society,” and prevent the “poisoning of young people’s physical and mental health,”. Australian Internet filtering is being proposed to remove child p-rn. You can draw the paralels. This is what people are worried about.
• Guest post by Colin Jacobs: It’s the edges that matter (Colin Jacobs, Larvatus Prodeo, 8 Jan 2010)
  Article by EFA Vice-Chair about why Conroy is arbitrarily casting a net larger than is needed, and justifying it by pointing at the things nobody could justify wanting.
• Taking control of the campaign against internet censorship (Kathryn, No Internet Censorship, 8 Jan 2010)
  The Australian Democrats’ calling for a unified front in campaigning against. That there needs to be a single body to push, rather than 3 diffeent political parties pushing a slightly different adgenda.
• Internet filtering debate (Fran Kelly, ABC Radio National, 8 Jan 2010)
  Debate about the Internet filtering between Clive Hamilton and Geordie Guy.
• Governments should not censor the internet (IQ2OZ)
  A public debate about the pros and cons of an Internet filter to be held on 11 May 2010.
• EFA’s new filter campaign lead to target offline community (Kathryn Edwards, Computerworld, 8 Jan 2010)
  The EFA’s new campain is going to target the offline community, as well as the online.

Edit 2010.01.09

• #nocleanfeed (twibbon)
  A twibbon campaign run to add a nocleanfeed message to your Twitter avatar.
• Rabbit Proof Firewall
  A watchdog for the Australian Internet Censorship regime.
• No Illusions 04 – No Clean Feed (Cameron Reilly, 8 Jan 2010)
  Interview with Stephen Collins (@trib), Peter Black (@peterblackQUT) and Jim Stewart (@jimboot) about the ‘clean feed’.
• Internet filter – national day of protest on March 6th (David Heath, iTWire, 7 Jan 2010)
• D’Oh: Embarrassed Canada Zaps Thousands Of Web Sites In Response To Yes Men Hoax (Justin Elliott, TPMMuckraker, 7 Jan 2010)
  The Canadian government managed to temporarily wipe out 4,500 personal and small business Web sites last month as it frantically grappled with a climate change hoax by the Yes Men. How many ‘inadvertantly’ blocked sites can we look forward to in Australia as a result of the filter ploicy?
• Russia may restrict online adult content during the day (Matthew Humphries, Geek.com, 8 Jan 2010)
  Rusia is looking to pass a law that would block access to adult contenton the Internet between noon and 6pm, bringing it in line with TV. How they intend to implement this is another question.
• Iran publishes banned websites list (AAP, 7News, 8 Jan 2010)
  Iran, unlike the proposed Australian filter system, has published a list of banned sites. Where are the checks and balances on a secret blacklist?
• WTO can take on censorship (kubiske, World of Journalism, 7 Nov 2009)
  The WTO is looking at chalenging China’s filtering regeim based on it being a restriction of trade. Would a similar chalenge work agaist the Australian system?
• Long time coming (Verity Pravda, The Interweb Warrior, 15 dec 2009)
  Conroy has released his report on the filter. There is no impact on the Internet from the filters. We should accept that the internet will be censored like other media.

Edit 2010.01.10

• QOTD: Andrew Bartlett #nocleanfeed (Tigtog, Hoyden about Town, 9 Jan 2010)
  Comments about why censorship will not work effectively on the internet.
• Think of the Children: Parallels Between Australia and Totalitarian Regimes on Censorship (Duncan Riley, The Inquisitr, 3 Jan 2010)
  Describes how many Totalitarian regeims have started their censorship campaigns by saying they were doing it to protect the children. Just like the proposed Australian Internet filters.

Edit 2010.01.14

• Conroy sells NBN at CES (David Ramli, ARN, 11 Jan 2010)
  Conroy sell he promise of the NBN at CES, but fails to mention the proposed Internet filter, or what effect it might have on said highspeed network.
• Mr. Stephen Conroy, what exactly are you hiding? (G-Funk, The Fascist Donkey, 11 Jan 2010)
  China’s Internet filtering policy started with a similar small blacklist in 1996, and now sites must be white listed to view them. Where is Conroy going with the filter proposal?
• The potential effects of being blacklisted (Letitia Power, feedia, 12 Jan 2010)
  What will the cost of the filters be to business? Not just the cost of implementing the filter, but also the cost to business of being incorrectly blacklisted. And who will be responsible for this mistaken identity?
• Protecting children online takes more than a filter (Ray Cleary, SMH, 14 Jan 2010)
  The chairman of the Melbourne Anglican Social Responsibilities Committee thinks that parents need to take more responsibility for monitoring their children. Stating that the filters are just parents abdicating responsability for childcare to the government.
• Australia, Strangled by Censors (archiearchive FCD, 11 Jan 2010)
  Commenting that the Internet filter will not be used just to block CP, but to control what is considered art, much like the German and Rusian governments in the 1930’s. How once in place the amount caught be the filter will just increase in size depending on the lobby group of the day.
• Green light for internet filter plans(ABC, 15 Dec 2009)
  The announcement that the government intends to filter the Internet, and commentary about this from the public.
• What is a child? (Bob Ryan, Online Opinion, 13 Jan 2010)
  Questioning how you define a child, and therefore who are you trying to protect.
• No Australian Internet Censorship
  A Facebook group concerned with proposed Australian Internet filters.
• Which anti filter group should you belong to? (Leefe Hicks, 13 Jan 2010)
  Discussion of the divided front presented by the anti filter campaign, and the need to present a united front.
• A new approach to China (David Drummond, Google, 12 Jan 2010)
  Google has become concerned about the censorship and pursuit of human rights activists in China. It is considering  closing its operation as a result. How long would Australia have to wait for the same thing to happen if the filter gets put into place?

Edit 2010.01.16

• Web filters mean bad news for business (Liau Yun Qing, ZDNet Asia, 11 Jan 2010)
  Talking about the extra costs the filter could add to business: increase the cost of Internet connection; slow down address; the cost of being (incorrectly) blacklisted, and loss of business that would result from people being unable to to connect to you.
• Government Promise on Internet Pornography Filtering Welcome (Steve Fielding, 10 August 2007)
  Possibly the real reason for the mandatory Internet filters. Steve Fielding’s beliefe that parents are incapable of monitoring their child’s Internet use. Of course, this is from the person who attended parliament while (potentially) infected with Swine Flu.
• Internet filter ferals blacklist Lundy (James Riley, iTWire, 14 Jan 2010)
  James writes about how the Internet filter isn’t unreasonable and questions why people are criticising Kate Lundy’s stance on the filter. A misguided IT professional? Best advice is “Don’t feed the trolls”.
• Australia Bans R-Rated Movies Without Banning Them (Josh Tyler, Cinema Blend, 13 Jan 2010)
  American commentary about the South Australian decision to relegate R rated films to the back room with porn.
• Google’s China move puts focus on local censorship plans (CHRIS ZAPPONE Chris Zappone, SMH, 15 Jan 2010)
  EFA’s Geordie Guy interviewed about Google’s decisions for China, and how that is likely to be repeated in Australia.
• Searching questions (Trefor Moss, Monocle, 15 Jan 2010)
  Commentary about Google’s dealings with China. The interesting part is the second last paragraph, Lee Kuan Yew (the former leader of authoritarian Singapore) admits that Internet censorship is a waste of time.
• U.S. to unveil Internet policy next week (John Poirier, CIOL, 13 Jan 2010)
  America soon to announce a policy to help Australians circumvent to censorship policy.

Edit 2010.01.17

• Australian Democrats join Great Australian Internet Blackout (Julia Melland, Australian Democrats, 12 Jan 2010)
  Media release from the Australian Democrates stating their support for the Great Australian Internet Blackout protest.
• China throws rotten tomatoes at IMDb (John Ozimek, The Register, 14 Jan 2010)
  China blocks the IMDb to ‘protect its citizens from the corrupting influence’ of the Internet. Sound like a certain Australian filter proposal.
• Tough filter campaign ahead: Black (Josh Mehlman, ZDNet.com.au, 14 Jan 2010)
  Peter Black interviewed about the tough campaigning ahead to convince the government to change its mind, or get the Liberals and Greens to vote against the legislation in the Senate.
• “Labor Senator Kate Lundy speaks out against mandatory internet censorship” (Freedom to Differ, 12 Jan 2010)
  Mention of Kate Lundy decision to speak out against the Internet filters.
• Labor Senator Kate Lundy speaks out against mandatory internet censorship (James Whittaker, Crikey, 13 Jan 2010)
  Senator Kate Lundy speaks out about the Internet filters. (You need to login to read the full article.)
• How To Beat the Internet Censors (Sebastian Rupley, GigaOM, 15 Jan 2010)
  Examples of how to beat Internet censorship, with a focus on China, but also potentially relevant to Australia.

Edit 2010.01.25

• Internet censorship in Australia: How will it impact kids? (kristinabrenner, Choices for Children, 14 Jan 2010)
• Internet Service Provider (ISP) Filtering ‘Live’ Pilot (DBDCE, 16 Dec 2009)
• ‘Tank man’ photo on Google China (SBS World News, 14 Jan 2010)
• “Trollumnists” and Censorship (Geordie Guy, EFA, 18 Jan 2010)
• US warns against internet censorship (Ashley Hall, PM on ABC, 22 Jan 2010)
  The current Australian filtering scheme seems to be at odds with the USA’s call for countries not to censor the Internet.
• Hillary Clinton on Digital Freedom (Derek Baird, SocialMediaToday, 22 Jan 2010)
• Remarks on Internet Freedom (Hillary Clinton, Real Clear World, 21 Jan 2010)
• Like a Censor (Australian Internet Censorship parody) (Amuse TV, YouTube, 23 Jan 2010)
• The top 10 filtering questions yet to be answered (Colin Jacobs, EFA, 20 Jan 2010)
  A list of question the government hasn’t answered about the filters.
• Websites to wear black for Australia Day (Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson, CourierMail, 25 Jan 2010)
• Greens support The Great Australian Internet Blackout against net censorship(Scott Ludlam, Greens, 25 Jan 2010)
• where is the first amendment? (Jennie Rosenbaum, 13 Jan 2010)
• No 1st Ammendment in Australia (All Nudist, 23 Jan 2010)

Edit 2010.01.26

• Australian Internet Blackout (Leefe Hicks, 23 Jan 2010)
  A WordPress plugin that makes it easier to participate in the protest by automatically adding the necessary JavaScript to your blog.
• Framing the internet filter debate (Michela Ledwidge, The Scavenger, Jan 2010)
  Questioning who is framing the Internet filter debate. And with lack on information from the government is this just a strawman policy?
• Websites fade to black in censorship protest (Asher Moses, SMH, 26 Jan 2010)
  Story about the Blackout protest, and what needs to be done to make the government take notice.
• What can you do to help? (Peter Black, EFA, 25 Jan 2010)
  10 things you can do to help the campaign against the government’s proposed mandatory filters.

Edit 2010.02.27

• Internet blackout ‘only the first step’ (Jacquelyn Holt, ZDNet.com.au, 27 Jan 2010)
• Fantastic Stephen Conroy Cartoon (from The Canberra Times I believe)
• Call out for videos on the Internet filter (hungrybeast, ABC, 26 Jan 2010)
  Hungry Beast is calling for people to submit video stories about the Internet filters, which will be included in a new story and displayed on their site.
• Deloitte: ISP filter won’t affect Australian businesses (David Ramli , ARN, 27 Jan 2010)
  Deloitte doesn’t see there being a cost to ISP due to reduced revenue from reduced data traffic. But makes no comment on the cost of implementing the filter. (Or the censorship issue.)
• iiNet stars as lone ranger in filter blackout protest (Ry Crozier, SC Magazine, 27 Jan 2010)
  Noting that iiNet was the only to participate in the Internet Blackout, and questioning why the internet industry association (IIA) didn’t take a stronger position.
• Depictions of Female Orgasm Being Banned by Classification Board (Fiona Patten, Australian Sex Party, 27 Jan 2010)
  Talking about that fact that what is deemed RC by has already been increased to include female ejaculation and women with A cup breasts. And questions if the government wants to move back in to the Victorian era.
• Open government is Rudd’s aim (Joe Ludwig, SMH, 2010)
  Joe Ludwig wafting on about transparent government, and comments comparing his speach to Yes Minister.
• The internet and being Aussie – on Australia Day (Sue Hutley, ALIA Executive Director, 26 Jan 2010)
  Australian Library and Information Association’s calling for education rather than censorship of the Internet.

Edit 2010.01.28

• Mr Conroy (Q-Ball, Smegheads, 27 Jan 2010)
  A song about Stephen Conroy and the Internet filter.
• Now Australia Is Banning Small Boobs (Ms Naughty, 27 Jan 2010)
  Complaining that the Australian Classification Board are now defining what are acceptable body images for women. That women are no longer allowed to have small breasts or orgasm.
• Australia bans small breasts (Somebody thing of the children, 27 Jan 2010)
• InternetNZ rejects centrally operated filtering for New Zealand (Jordan Carter, InternetNZ, 28 Jan 2010)
  InternetNZ shows more backbone that the IIA, and rejects the NZ government’s proposed Internet filter.
• Internet censorship in Australia (Wikipedia)
• www.pipenetworks.com joins blackout (Bevan, Whirlpool, 27 Jan 2010)
  A well written letter about the flaws of the proposed filter, how it will lul parents into a false sense of security and how better eduction about the internet for parents is the key to protecting children.
• The Coalition isn’t convinced net filtering will protect kids (Mary-Jo Fisher, The Punch, 28 Jan 2010)
  Senator Fisher’s letter stating that the Coalition does not support the Internet filter policy. Or at least they don’t think it will protect kids.

Edit 2010.01.29

• Pipe Networks blacks out as Internode sees red (Ry Crozier, itnews, 28 Jan 2010)
• Ex Swedish PM: “Tear down these walls against Internet freedom” (David Heath, itWire, 28 Jan 2010)
  Analysis of how different foreign politicians’ comments criticising governments censoring the Internet must make the Australian government feel.
• Pipe joins iiNet in filter blackout (Ben Grubb, ZDNet.com.au, 28 Jan 2010)
• Conroy frantically spins Clinton speech (Colin Jacobs, Crikey, 25 Jan 2010)
  How Conroy has added his spin to what Clinton said about Internet censorship. (Need a login to read the article)
• Rudd Government welcomes Secretary Clinton’s comments on the internet (Stephen Conroy, DBCDE, 22 Jan 2010)
  Conroy’s response to the speach by Clinton about no censoring the Internet.
• Aussie censor balks at bijou boobs (John Ozimek, The Register, 28 Jan 2010)
• Will New Law Block Many Slash, Anime, Manga Sites in Australia? (Henry Jenkins, Mark McLelland, 26 Jan 2010)
  Professors of comunications, Journalism, Cinematic Art, and Sociology take on the proposed Internet filter.
• Standards (Tateru Nino, 28 Jan 2010)
  Questioning if the standards of the ACB and ACMA reflect what would be her standards. Therefore whether their choice for the Internet filter will be valid.

Edit 2010.02.23: Been busy IRL, here are some more links.

• Rudd’s internet nanny plan targets the wrong enemy (Andrew Laming, The Punch, 10 Sept 2009)
• Weird politics of small boobs and bodily fluids (Bella Couihan, SMH, 29 Jan 2010)
  t seems like climate change science and the science around female ejaculation is, as our Opposition Leader Tony Abbott would say, far from settled
• InternetNZ rejects internet filtering (Rob O’Neill, Computerworld, 29 Jan 2010)
  InternetNZ rejects censorware, and uses Australia as a bad example
• Internet Blackout: The final verdict (Suzanne Tindal, ZDNet.com.au, 29 Jan 2010)
• Great Moments In Australian Censorship (Ms Naughty, 29 Jan 2010)
• Internet Censorship – Taking the Power Back (REPOST) (Drazen Drazic, 30 Jan 2010)
  Video of interviews with network security professionals at a conference in the USA.
• Exclusive: White hat hacker tears apart flaws in Aussie net filtering scheme (David Field, Ban This URL, 17 Dec 2009)
• Clinton versus Conroy: Conroy fails to protect filter from Clinton’s criticisms (Kieran Salsone, Websinthe, 31 Jan 2010)
• Lundy plays good cop to Conroy’s bad cop (Sam Varghese, itWire, 22 Jan 2010)
• Mark Newton @NewtonMark and Senator Simon Birmingham @birmo discuss stopping Internet censorship (davidj, Stop Internet Censorship, 1 Feb 2010)
• Labor gags internet debate (Michael McGuire, AdelaideNow, 2 Feb 2010)
  In South Australia, on 6 January, a new law came into force requiring the real name and address to be published for all comments about the state election.
• SA Electoral amendments and anonymity online (Nic, EFA, 2 Feb 2010)
  An analysis of the amendments to the South Australian Electoral Act 1985, that seem intended by Atkinson to silence bloggers and AdelaideNow.
• SA bans anonymous online commentary (Suzanne Tindal, ZDNet.com.au, 2 Feb 2010)
• Filtering the facts: Conroy slips up when hitting back (Bernard Keane, Crikey, 2 Feb 2010)
• Senate passes net interception Bill (Ben Grubb, ZDNet.com.au, 2 Feb 2010)
• YouTube – Message to Australian Government (NOinternetcensors, 1 Feb 2010)
• Outrage as South Australia’s Rann Government, Opposition unite to gag internet election debate (Andrew Dowdell, Herald Sun, 2 Feb 2010)
• Attorney-General Michael Atkinson vows to repeal election internet censorship law amid reader furore (Derek Pedrek, The Advertiser, 2 Feb 2010)
• Anchor text, Filters & false no.1s Part 1 (JimBot, YouTube, 2 Feb 2010)
  Analysing links to the Stephen Conroy site, as well as discussion why the internet filter will be bad for Australia.
• Q and A from my thoughts on the internet filter (Kate Lundy, 2 Feb 2010)
  Senator Lundy tries to calm the masses by answering some of their questions.
• Google baulks at Conroy’s call to censor YouTube (Asher Moses, SMH, 11 Feb 2010)
  Google says it will not “voluntarily” comply with the government’s request that it censor YouTube videos in accordance with broad “refused classification” (RC) content rules.
• Don’t Filter My Net!
  Discussion forum about stopping the Internet Censorship.
• Australian Government Internet Censorship plans (Craig Harvey, Reserver Words, 20 Feb 2010)
• Some key message ideas for #NoCleanFeed (Alexander White, 21 Dec 2009)
  Ideas about what you can say to the average Joe on the street about the Internet Filters. How to connect with the real target audience, and not just overload them with techno babble.
• Begin Rant: Internet Censorship reflective of Rudd’s wider control agenda (Kathryn Crosby, 21 Feb 2010)
  Not that the Internet Filter agenda is not about porn. It is about Kevin Rudd’s control of information, and everything else.
• What about the filter? (comms_consult, The Insiders, 21 Feb 2010)
  Explaining why Conry wasn’t quizzed about the filter on The Insider. It is not current news. Suggestions about how to make it so, or relevant to the average Joe. Though the last comment needs some work, as it looks like admitting that there should be filter.
• Crackdown on Internet racism ill-thought out (Colin Jacobs, EFA, 22 Feb 2010)
  Commentry about the government’s knee-jerk reaction of proposing laws to counter a perceived ‘cyber racisim’ without properly understanding the issue, or thinking about the best way to deal with it.

Edit 2010.02.25

• Labor split as Kate Lundy proposes ‘opt out’ to Conroy ISP filter (Joe Kelly, The Australian, 24 Feb 2010)
  Labor Senator Kate Lundy plans to propose a filter “opt out” when the legislation goes before caucus.
• How Australia’s Proposed Internet Censorship Will (And Won’t) Affect Video Games (Luke Plunkett, Kotaku Australia, 23 Feb 2010)
• Opposition grows to internet filter (Ari Sharp, SMH 25 Feb 2010)
• Filtering already begun! 🙂 (Rupple, Whirlpool, 25 Feb 2010)
• Conroy censors own site? (Ben Grubb, ZDNet Australia, 25 Feb 2010)
  Conroy censors his own site so that searches for ‘ISP Filter’ do not show up in a top search cloud.
• Conroy’s website removes references to filter (Andrew Ramadge, News, 25 Feb 2010)
• ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS LEGISLATION COMMITTEE – 08/02/2010
  Noted for its mention of dropping the case against Wikileaks. But it is worth noting the following question by Lublam:
  Senator LUDLAM — What is the ACMA’s current annual budget for those referrals to the Classification Board and how much do they cost per referral?
  How much does it cost to classify each URL as unclassifiable, and will they run out of money to get links classified?
  If the ACMA run out of money will they just be randomly classifying URLs themselves?

Edit 2010.02.28:

• Senator Kate Lundy proposes “Internet Filter Lite” (Dan Warne, APC Mag, 25 Feb 2010)
• Poland Abandons Internet Censorship Plans (Marcin Sobczyk, WSJ, 18 Feb 2010)
• Australia’s Latest Censorship Targets: Facebook And Game Review Sites (Duncan Riley, The Inquisitr, 25 Feb 2010)
• Join the Itty Bitty Titty Committee (Lola, LolaPR, 31 Jan 2010)
  Article and discussion about the insecurity caused by classifying women how are not well endowed as children.
• Federal Government to establish cyber-safety committee (EFA, OpenInternet, 26 Feb 2010)
  The government is/was to setup a Cyber-safety committee to report about child safty, cyber bullying and identity theft (amoungst other things). And the final report is to be presented by 11 February 2011. Shouldn’t the Internet filter thing be put off till the report is tabled then? 🙂
• Ludlam predicts: Filter bills to await election (Renai LeMay, Delimiter, 28 Feb 2010)
  Greens communications spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam today predicted legislation around the Federal Government’s internet filtering project would have to wait until after the next Federal election.
• Dealing with the dark side of Facebook (Courtney Trenwith, SMH, 27 Feb 2010)
  How governments are reacting without thinking to the online world. How governments are trying to create new laws, without first trying existing laws.
• Why Conroy loves porn (aturner, SMH, 17 Feb 2010)
  Commenting that talk about porn is playing into Conroy’s hands. It is easy for conroy to use porn to baint a black picture of the internet.

Edit 2010.03.05:

• Internet filtering may be exploited by hackers (Spandas Lui, ARN, 26 Feb 2010)
• Dear Minister Conroy (Aleks Bochniak, 1 MAr 2010)
• Senate Internet Censorship Petition (Electronic Frontiers Australia)
  Sign the setetition to be delivered to the Senate.
• Dear Stephen, your site is broken (Renai LeMay, Delimiter, 26 Feb 2010)
• “Blinkered thinking” (EFA, 3 Mar 2010)
  Photo of the article by Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson with a good laymans explanation of the filters.
• Analysing the internet filter (Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson, CourierMail, 3 Mar 2010)
  A good laymans explanation of what the filter is and how it will be detremental.
• Peter Dutton MP are you for or against the filter? (darryl, 3 Mar 2010)
  Aparently trying to get something other than a canned response about the filter from a politician is like trying to get blod froma stone.
• Conroy fixes Rudd’s Facebook woes (Christine Lee, ZDNet Au, 4 MAr 2010)
• Stop Internet Censorship Adelaide Playlist [Jan 14 2010] ()
• Web developer asks Conroy to remove script (Andrew Ramadge, News.com.au, 2 Mar 2010)
• Editorial: ISP filtering policy is not evidence-based (Simon Wright, Whirlpool, 4 Mar 2010)
• Whirlpool founder takes aim at filter (Renai LeMay, ZDNet Au, 5 Mar 2010)
• Australian Broadband Survey 2009 Report (Whirlpool)

Edit 2010.03.14:

• Gag Yourself – April 1, 2010 | A Sydney based action against the filter.
• Parramatta 6th. March 2010 Xenogene Gray (nocensorshipaus, YouTube, 6 Mar 2010)
  On 6th. March in Parramatta Park Xenogene Gray spoke about the Internet Filter and aspects of law.. The Parramatta rally/picnic was part of a National Day of Action against the proposed mandatory
• Cyber forum a great idea (MMatt Hamilton, BorderMail, 9 Mar 2010)
• RC material, the NCB & Senator Conroy’s claims (I Graham, libertus, 6 Mar 2010)
  (in interview by Hungry Beast re Mandatory ISP Blocking/Censorship)
• Prime Minister, Transcript of interview with David Koch (David Koch, PM.gov.au, 27 Feb 2010)
  “Net Choices” – What the PM thinks is RC content.
• Australia on internet watchlist with Iran, North Korea (Asher Moses and Ari Sharp, SMH, 12 Mar 2010)
  Reporters Without Borders have put Australia and South Korea on its list of countries “under surveillance” in its “Internet Enemies” report.
• NZ Internet filter goes live (Darren Pauli, Computerworld, 11 Mar 2010)
  The New Zealand ‘opt-in’ filter goes live on some ISPs.
• New Zealand relies on BGP router protocol to filter the ‘Net (Nate Anderson, Arstechnica, 13 Mar 2010)
• EFA Media Release: “EFA welcomes Liberal call for greater liberties” (EFA, 12 MAr 2010)
  Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today welcomes the comments made by the Shadow Treasurer, the Hon. Joe Hockey MP, on the Government’s proposal to effectively censor the Internet.
• Internet providers hit out at website blocker (Bevan Hurley, NZ Herald, 14 Mar 2010)
  NZ ISPs criticise the implementation of the NZ Internet filter.
• Classification Board squirms over vagina censorship in this Hungry Beast interview (Michael Meloni, Somebody Think Of The Children, 5 Mar 2010)
  It comes out that the ACB have a limited scope of ‘normal’. They see women with outies as abnormal.
• NZ internet filter goes live – gov forgets to tell public (John Ozimek, The Register, 12 Feb 2010)
  In New Zealand the Internet filter was Installed on 1 February, and the government forgot to mention it to anyone. Though it is only an optional filter, optional to ISPs not users.
• Venezuela’s Chavez calls for internet controls (International Business Times, 13 March 2010)
  Questions are raised about Chavez wanting to censor the Internet, just like Cuba, China and Iran (and Australia).
• Australia defends mandatory Internet filter (AFP, Yahoo News, 14 Mar 2010)
  That is, the Australian Government defends mandatory Internet filters.

Edit 2010.03.19:

• Conroy hits out at internet enemies report (SMH, 15 MAr 2010)
• Filter Vendor Agrees Aussie Censorship Can’t Work As Promised (timothy, Slashdot, 14 Mar 2010)
• Our internet filter (Anonymous Coward, Slashdot, 14 Mar 2010)
• Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has hit back at a new report listing Australia as a potential internet enemy. (AAP, 9 News, 15 MAr 2010)
• Senator Conroy in Question Time today (Peter Black, 15 Mar 2010)
• Lobby a Lib (EFA, Open Internet)
  How to lobr Liberal Party senators about opposing the Internet filter.
• Zombie outbreak hits sydney, bites classification laws (Darren Pauli, Computerworld, 12 Mar 2010)
• Fielding beats Ludlam for cyber job (AAP, SMH, 16 Mar 2010)
• Fielding beats Ludlam to a seat on Cyber-Safety Committee (Somebody Think Of the Children, 16 Mar 2010)
• There was mention that a re-vote on the Cyber-Safety Committee went in Ludlam’s favour (37/35). Though finding a mention of it in the senate papers is hard.
• Proposed Joint Select Committee on Cyber Safety (OpenAustralia.org, 25 Feb 2010)
• Begin Rant: Conroy misleading the misled (Begin Rant, 16 Mar 2010)
• Internet filter draft legislation delayed (James Riley, iTWire, 16 Mar 2010)
  “Communications Minister Stephen Conroy had planned for the internet filter to be debated this week, but his office confirmed the drafting of the legislation was still not complete and discussions with ISPs and other stakeholders on outstanding issues were still taking place.”
• Internet is 99 per cent porn free (Iain Thomson, V3, 15 Mar 2010)
  A USA government study found that only 1 percent of the internet is porn. Why break 99% of the sites to block 1% ?
• Show your Support for an Open Internet (EFA)
• Internet: ignorance is the real threat (Mark Newton, ABC, 17 Mar 2010)
• Aussie bid to shut offensive site (Asher Moses, Stuff.co.nz, 17 Mar 2010)
• EFA responds to Senator Conroy (updated) (Colin Jacobs, EFA, 16 Mar 2010)
• EFA Media Release: “EFA responds to Senator Conroy’s challenge and attack” (EFA, 16 Mar 2010)
• Filter trial vendor sceptical over Internet clean-feed (Spandas Lui, ARN, 12 Mar 2010)
• The state of things to come (JEvers, 15 Mar 2010)

Edit 2010.03.21:

• Cerf on internet without borders (Chris Zappone, 18 Mar 2010)
• “just because the internet is open now doesn’t mean it will stay that way”
• Lundy fights net filter (Eleri Harris, Canberra CityNews, 18 Mar 2010)
  Turn to page 8.
• What happened – and didn’t happen – in Parliament this week … and what it all means (EFA, 19 Mar 2010)
• Web filtering backlash
  Can of an article in a Tasmanian news paper (?).
• Replace Internet filter with Gov funded filtering software (Spanners, Liberal Party, 8 Feb 2010)
  But isnt this what the previous government did? Dropped the idea of a ISP filter and offered a free one to parents? Mainly because nobody thought it was necessary.
• Attorney-General Michael Atkinson to quit front bench (Greg Kelton, The Advertiser, 21 Mar 2010)
• Filter perfect for conspiracy theories (Darren Greenwood, ZDNet.com.au, 16 Mar 2010)
• “Conroy’s net filter – are we becoming like China?” (EFA, 18 Mar 2010)
• Conroy’s net filter – are we becoming like China? (Leon Gettler, The Age, 18 Mar 2010)

Edit 2010.03.28:

• A new approach to China: an update (Google, 22 Mar 2010)
• Google to rout all traffic from Google.cn to Google.com.hk by passing the Chinese censorship.
• Child vampire hunters sparked comic crackdown (Stuart Nicolson, BBC, 22 Mar 2010)
  In 1954 the Scottish government banned comics to stop a group of child vampire hunters. Proven by academia to be unrelated. Sounds like the current Australian government’s decision to filter the Internet to stop pedophiles.
• Nine questions ACMA ruling on gay sex scene (David Knox, TV Tonight, 23 Mar 2010)
  The ACMA seems to have a double standard with regard to gay and straight sex. Ruling that an episode of Dante’s Cove in the Nine Network’s GO! was above the MA rating. Can we look forward to similar mixed messages when they start rating the Internet?
• Another report on Labor division over Internet censorship plan (EFA, 23 Mar 2010)
• Labor divided on internet filtering plan (Fran Foo, The Australian, 23 Mar 2010)
  Is the Internet Censorship legislation being delay, not for the stated ‘getting the framework right’ reason, but due to internal ALP division?
• Submissions on measures to increase accountability and transparency for Refused Classification material (DBCDE, 23 Mar 2010)
• Porn links posted on Fielding’s website (ABC, 23 Mar 2010)
  Showing that Steve Fielding really doesn’t understand the Internet. Or that if you stuck up public forums and don’t moderate them they will accumulate spam (including spam in Rusian).
• Online community needs a champion (Colin Jacobs, EFA, 23 Mar 2010)
• Imagining a meeting between Senator Conroy and EFA (Peter Black, EFA, 24 Mar 2010)
  A humorous interpretation of how a meeting between the two would go.
• Conroy’s internet censorship agenda slammed by tech giants (Asher Moses, SMH, 23 MAr 2010)
• Everyone Ready for the 7PM Project? (Geordie Guy, 24 Mar 2010)
  A BINGO card for tonight’s 7PM Project on 10.
• 7PM Project 24 March 2010 (7PM Project, 24 Mar 2010)
  Go vote in the ‘Are you in favour of the government’s internet filter?’ poll.
• Tech giants criticize Australia plan for Internet filtering (Cecilia Kang, Washington Post, 23 Mar 2010)
• Google bites back (The Midday Report, ABC, 24 Mar 2010)
  Google has criticised the Australian Government’s proposed internet filter saying it is too broad.
• Web filtering backlash (Tim Martain, The Mercury, 22 Mar 2010)
  The Federal Government’s compulsory internet filter has been met with strong opposition, even from those expected to support it.
• Help EFA fight Internet censorship (EFA, 22 Mar 2010)
  How you can contribute to the EFA’s campaign against the Internet filters.
• Watch Stephen Conroy Defend The Filter On The 7PM Project (Nick Broughall, Gizmodo, 25 Mar 2010)
• Top 10 internet filter lies (Eliza Cussen, The Punch, 25 Mar 2010)
  A good list of lies the government promises but can’t deliver with the Internet filter.
• Conroy’s net gag sparks assassination and bomb plot chatter (Asher Moses, SMH, 25 MAr 2010)
  An article abotu threats by Anonymous and 4chan. Best just to not feed the trolls, and not post about them.
• Is Conroy Unwittingly Pro-Kiddie Porn? (Michael Wyres, 25 Mar 2010)
• On Conroy’s information byway, there’s some roadkill (Rick Feneley, SMH, 27 Mar 2010)
  Be careful of Conroy the worm. His reckless use of filters. And the collateral damage it will cause.
• Senator Stephen Conroy to be on Australia Talks on Monday (EFA, 28 Mar 2010)
  Stephen Conroy to appear on ABC Radio National at 6pm on Monday. Call in and have your say.

Edit 2010.03.31:

• Internet filtering with Minister for Communications Stephen Conroy (Paul Barclay, Australia Talks, ABC Radio National, 29 Mar 2010)
• Stephen Conroy and US at odds on net filter (Paul Colgan and Geoff Elliott, The Australian, 29 Mar 2010)
  THE Obama administration has questioned the Rudd government’s plan to introduce an internet filter, saying it runs contrary to the US’s foreign policy of encouraging an open internet to spread economic growth and global security.
• Listen to Senator Stephen Conroy on Australia Talks (EFA, 29 Mar 2010)
  If you missed the show download the audio and have a listen.
• US concerned by Australian Internet filter plan (Fox News, 29 Mar 2010)
• Help! My Government Wants To Censor My Internets (Luke Cuthbertson, SitePoint, 31 Mar 2010)
• International media covers Internet censorship in Australia (EFA, 31 Mar 2010)
• The importance of digital civil liberties (EFA, 31 Mar 2010)
• AFP: Child sex abuse websites hard to track (EFA, 30 Mar 2010)
  The Australian reports that the Australian Federal Police have confirmed that web pages that contain child sexual abuse material change within hours and are difficult to identify or track, further weakening the arguments of those who support the policy of mandatory Internet filtering.
• “Rape simulator” game and Internet censorship (EFA, 31 Mar 2010)
• Government goes to war with Google over net censorship (Asher Moses, SMH, 31 Mar 2010)
• Gag the Filter – An April Fools Gag (Gag the filter, 8 Mar 2010)
• Is Conroy Gone Yet?
• Your internet policy sucks, US tells Aussies (John Ozimek, The Register, 30 Mar 2010)
  Critics of the Australia’s proposed internet filtering scheme just keep on coming. This week, it’s the turn of one of Australia’s biggest and most formidable allies, the United States, to put the boot into a scheme that would turn Australia into the free world’s strictest regulator of internet content.
• Child-abuse survivors oppose EU censorwall (Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing, 25 Mar 2010)
  Noting the oposition to Internet censorship in the EU by child-adbuse survivors, who believe that blocking sites in ineffective and just ignoring the problem.
• Rather Than Respond To Criticism Of Aussie Censorship Plan, Conroy Attacks Google (Mike Masnick, techdirt, 30 Mar 2010)
• Did the US State Dept merely query filter policy? (Renai LeMay, iTWire, 31 Mar 2010)
  Questioning how much the Australian government is trying to play down correspondence with the USA.
• US reveals concerns over Conroy’s net filter plan (Paul Colgan, The Punch, 29 Mar 2010)
  “We do not discuss the details of specific diplomatic exchanges, but can say that in the context of that ongoing relationship, we have raised our concerns on this matter with Australian officials.”
• Activistsʼ Action Against Censorship Not Just A Gag (Pirate PArty Australia, 31 Mar 2010)
  Information about the filter protest in Sydney’s Hyde Park at 5:30pm on 1 April 2010.

Edit 2010.04.07:

• Delete child abuse websites says German minister (BBC, 31 Mar 2010)
  The German Justice minister has called for child abuse sites to be deleted not blocked.
• Google vs Australia in the censorship battle (CNN via SBS, 1 April 2010)
• The Australian Government’s proposed internet filter (Ruslan, Kogan Technologies, 1 Apr 2010)
• Internet’s not special, says communications minister (Asher Moses, SMH, 1 Apr 2010)
• #NoCleanFeed campaign starts to focus messaging (Alex White, 1 Apr 2010)
• Germany Resists EU Plans to Block Child Porn Sites (Spiegel Online, 30 Mar 2010)
• Kevin Rudd and Stephen Conroy are TFU! (AngryAussie, YouTube, 2 Apr 2010)
  Video opinion on Conroy’s internet filter stance, and Rudd’s bad mouthing Alabama.
• Elderly learn to beat euthanasia blacklist (Geesche Jacobsen, SMH 6 Apr 2010)
• Tweet across the great wall of China
• ‘Hacking masterclass’ offered to bypass filter (AAP, ZDNet, 6 Apr 2010)
  Euthanasia groups will hold computer seminars around Australia to teach people how they can defy the Federal Government’s proposed internet filter to obtain suicide information.
• Interview with IT guy about Conroy’s comments about the filter (ABC Radio National, 31 Mar 2010)
• No proof ISP filtering works: Abbott (Fran Foo, Australian IT, 6 Apr 2010)
  Opposition leader Tony Abbott says there is insufficient evidence ISP filtering is effective enough to warrant his full support.
• Laporte and Jarvis: Conroy Wacky and Nuts! (Michel Wyres, 6 April 2010)
• Too hard for ordinary people to do? #nocleanfeed (tigtog, Larvatus Prodeo, 6 Apr 2010)
• Tony Abbott Q&A ISP filtering Soft Porn (nocensorshipaus, YouTube, 5 Apr 2010)
• Senator proposes up to five years’ jail for telling lies online (Paul Maley, The Australian, 6 Apr 2010)
  Senator Nick Xenophon proposes a law to criminalise laying about your age online. South Australian and Northern Territory Police Commissioners have criticised the proposal for going too far.
• There’s nothing like, Internet Censorship (There’s Nothing Like Australia, 5 Apr 2010)
• Nitschke promotes hacking class to beat filter (Renai LeMay, Delimiter, 6 Apr 2010)

Edit 2010.04.10:

• Without civil liberties, government is just a criminal racket (Peter Black, EFA, 7 Apr 2010)
• PM summons Conroy over US filter concerns? (EFA, Open Internet, 7 Apr 2010)
• Senator Conroy in The Punch (EFA, Open Internet, 7 Apr 2010)
• Web filter splits opposition (Ari Sharp, The Age, 7 Apr 2010)
• Tassie Liberal leader should take Conroy hard line (Renai LeMay, Delimiter, 7 Apr 2010)
• Reseller throws filter hacking masterclass (Liz Tay, itnews, 6 Apr 2010)
  A Newcastle-based computer help desk business has become one of the first organisations in Australia to host a masterclass on how to “hack” the Federal Government’s planned internet filter.
• Conroy: Don’t believe the myths on the ISP filter (Stephen Conroy, The Punch, 7 Apr 2010)
  Conroy tries to legitimise the proposed Internet filter.
• ACTA treaty draws fire in NZ submissions (Computerworld staff, 6 Apr 2010)
  InternetNZ and the New Zealand Open Source Society have released their submissions to the Ministry of Economic Development’s consultation on this month’s ACTA negotiations, with the two organisations taking different, but equally critical tacks on the issue.
• The rising cost of Rudd’s high-speed broadband (Malcolm Colless, The Australian, 6 Apr 2010)
  Worries about the cost the filters will impose on the NBN, and the need to import a skilled workforce to install the NBN.
• Stephen Conroy Extended Interview (Hungrey Beast, ABC, 9 Feb 2010)
  Dan Ilic talks with Senator Conroy about the Rudd Government’s proposed mandatory internet filter and more
• OPINION: Calling Conroy an idiot won’t stop the filter (Richard Chirgwin, Search Networking, 8 Apr 2010)
  An interesting piece about how Conroy is just there to distract people from actually doing something to oppose the filter.
• Oz Pirate Party Tells the Elderly How To Bypass the Net Filter (timothy, Shashdot, 9 Apr 2010)
• Conroy’s wrong on net filtering (Simon Hackett, Business Spectator, 9 Apr 2010)
  A response to Conroy’s blog post on The Punch about why the filters are good.

Edit 2010.04.18:

• A Letter to Tony Abbott (11 April 2010)
• Simon Hackett: Conroy’s wrong on net filtering (EFA, Open Internet, 9 April 2010)
• Of Myths and Mandatory Internet Miltering (Simon Hackett, Internode, 9 April 2010)
• Conroy: the filter is not akin to political censorship (EFA, Open Internet, 13 April 2010)
• Congress announces plan to hide nations porn (The Onion)
  A parody of the USA government trying to hide porn. Sound a lot like the current Australian government.
• US Ambassador critical of Conroy’s filter (EFA, Open Internet, 13 April 2010)
• Q&A Question on ISP Level Filtering 12th. April 2010 ABC TV (YouTube, 12 April 2010)
  A question is raised concerning the mandatory ISP level filtering plan of the Australian Labor Government which is answered by various members of the panel including Jeff Bleich US Ambassador to Australia, Joe Hockey of the Australian Liberal Party of Australia and Tanya Pilberseck of the Australian Labor Party.
• Senator Conroy at The Sydney Institute (EFA, Open Internet, 13 April 2010)
• ‘The internet must be free’ (AAP, SBS, 13 April 2010)
  US ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich has criticised the federal government’s mandatory internet filter plan, saying there are other, proven ways of policing illegal content.
• Latest survey: we don’t want the filter (David Heath, iTWire, 13 April 2010)
• Net filters a ‘modest measure’: Conroy (Brisbane Times, 13 April 2010)
• The Hon. Stephen Conroy – Reform Unleashes Transformation (The Sydney Institute, 13 April 2010)
  MP3 of Conroy’s speak to The Sydney Institute.
• A Question and an Answer (Erin Riley, United States Studies Centre USyd, 13 April 2010)
  Commenting on the quewtion she asked the American Ambassador on ABC’s Q & A.
• Filtering on Q & A (EFA, Open Internet, 13 April 2010)
  Video of The US Ambassador to Australia, Jeff Bleich, as well as the Shadow Treasurer, Joe Hockey, and the Minister for Housing and the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek, all commented on the filtering policy on the ABC current affairs panel show Q & A.
• Filter hacking teacher: IT industry need to step up anti-filtering action (Spandas Lui, ARN, 13 April 2010)
• Unregulated internet not an option: Conroy (James Riley, iTWire, 13 April 2010)
• Beating the filter: masterclass photos (David Braue, ZDNet.com.au, 13 April 2010)
  Photos from the class to teach seniors how to beat the filters.
• Filtering is good for the internet, hmmkay? (AAP, News.com.au, 13 April 2010)
  Conroy trying to assert in his speech to The Sydney Institute that filtering the Internet will be god for it.
• Net nannies take on the freedom fighters (SMH, 17 April 2010)
• Internet Censorship Essay Competition for Pyrmont Village
  Essay competion calling for a 1500-2000 word essay describing in layman’s terms why the Internet filters are bad. Enties close Monday 7 June at 5pm.

Edit 2010.05.03:

• Big ISPs to benefit from mandatory Internet filter: Academic (Tim Lohman, Computerworld, 19 April 2010)
• The burden of managing the costs associated with the implementation of ISP-level filtering could put many of Australia’s smaller ISPs out of business, according to a University of Sydney academic…
• Google battle over Internet censorship goes far beyond China (Jessica Guynn, LA Times, 20 April 2010)
• Early news report into the phenomenon of “internet” (Crikey, 20 April 2010)
• Not Just Wrong About Filtering – Conroy Lies About It (Michael Wyres, 9 April 2010)
• Communications Minister “unaware” of ACTA storm (Rachael Bolton, Financial Review, 16 April 2010)
  C m u i a i n M n s e S e h n o r y a c n e s d e a u a a e f e o i t o s n n n e n t o a t a e g e m n t a c u d a e e i u l g s a i e m l c t o s o h s o t o i . (Every 2nd character missing due to stupid DRM at Financial Review)
• Google releases tool to show government censorship requests (Charles Arthur, guardian.co.uk, 20 April 2010)
  Search company responds to complaints about its approach to privacy by showing governments’ own demands to censor web
• ISP filtering bill delayed indefinitely (David Ramli, ARN, 21 April 2010)
  The Labor party has delayed its internal vote on mandatory filtering indefinitely and revealed the draft bill has not been completed. The vote was originally expected to be held mid-March.
• Net filter patronises the digital generation (Nina Funnell, SMH, 21 April 2010)
  Would somebody please not think of the children. At least not while we are discussing internet censorship.
• Is the Aussie govt too fond of censorship? (Suzanne Tindal, ZDNet.com.au, 21 April 2010)
  Google’s statistics released today on how often governments have asked for information on users or issued take-down requests showed that Google has often ignored Australian government requests.
• Canberra urged to join net fightback (Geoff Elliott, The Australian, 19 April 2010)
  AFACT is trying to push te Rudd government to pass tougher laws after its loss to iiNet.
• Australia pushes net censorship in Washington (Asher Moses, SMH, 23 April 2010)
• The Biggest Failing of Stephen Conroy (Michael Wyres, 23 April 2010)
• Aussie cloud provider to fight Internet filter (Spandas Lui, ARN, 23 April 2010)
  An IT reseller is launching a cloud-based proxy server provisioning service to fight the Federal Government’s proposed Internet filter.
• Australia wants to convert the US – Look at the merits of web censorship (Nick Farrell, TechEye, 23 April 2010)
  The People’s Republic of Australia is taking its web censorship campaign to America in the hope of exporting its glorious revolution to the Land of the Free.
• Bjorn Landfeldt: Internet filter isn’t future-proof (EFA, Open Internet, 20 April 2010)
  The Federal Government’s proposed Internet filter will be impotent in a few years time, an IT pundit claims.
• FORTWallace (8 October 2009)
  Questioning Jim Wallace about how the church can claim the moral highground with so many pedophilia cases against members of the church.
• So Conroy; What can you get on DVD? (Dan Buzzard, 25 April 2010)
  The Internet is much more than simply another form of Media. It has taken on a life of it’s own and now serves as a primary communication in our society. It’s time to start calling Conroy out on his false analogies.
• No plan for crackdown on internet racism (Josh Gordon, SMH, 25 April 2010)
  “AUSTRALIA’S anti-discrimination laws are unlikely to be strengthened to tackle racism on the internet despite a doubling in the number of official complaints about offensive content in the past two years.”
  Say no to CP, but racism is ok.
• Cleanternet
  A parody video about the EU’s proposed Internet filters. The desire to blog content rather than remove it. Sounds much like the Australian proposal.
• Deep in the heart of Adelaide with Tony Zappia (Simon Garlick, 25 April 2010)
  Zappia asked why there was so much consternation over the filter if it would be, as I claimed, so easily bypassed. While light-hearted his reply seemed to be in essence “well, if it’s not actually going to do anything, what’s the problem? No harm done!”
• Poll: Conroy’s filters (SMH, April 2010)
  Communications Minister Stephen Conroy’s internet filtering regime is…
• Dear Stephen Conroy… (kakariki, Radical Cross Stitch, 27 April 2010)
  Cross stitch, video and blog post expressing the posters feeling towards the Internet censorship policy.
• Aussie Internet Filter – South Australian protest letter (Rick Clise, 29 April 2010)
• Conroy confirms filter forum exists (Renai LeMay, ZDNet, 29 April 2010)
• Senator Sue Boyce: “Internet Filter Proposal Descending Into Farce” (EFA, Open Internet, 30 April 2010)
• 687 ISPs invited to secret filter forum (Ben Grubb, ZDNet.com.au, 30 April 2010)
  Communications Minister Stephen Conroy’s office has said that 687 internet service providers (ISPs) were invited to participate in the protected online forum to discuss issues around the planned mandatory filter to block “refused classification” material on the internet.
• Pirate Party: Circumvention promotion offence like Iran, China (Renai LeMay, iTWire, 30 April 2010)
  The Pirate Party Australia has likened the idea being discussed by the Federal broadband department that promotion of circumvention of the internet filter could become an offence to opporessive censorship regimes in Iran and China.
• Net filter legislation status uncertain (James Hutchinson, Computerworld Australia, 30 April 2010)
• Australian Gov’t Claims Internet Filter Legislation Still In Play (timothy, SlashDot, 1 May 2010)
  “the government rejected claims that it had abandoned such plans, and that ‘a spokeswoman for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the government remained committed to the policy.'”
• Govt ‘committed to internet filter’ (AAP, SMH, 29 April 2010)
  Government spokesman denys that they have abandoned the Manditory Internet Filter policy before the next election.
• Reports of the filter’s death are premature (Darryl Adams, 30 April 2010)
  Think the filter is dead, just because it’s delayed? Think again — this is a tactic to get ‘a clear mandate’ at the next election to implement it. “Vote Labor, vote filter.”
• Australian Christian Lobby “Disappointed” with Net Filter Delay (Jared Moya, ZeroPaid, 30 April 2010)
  Considering it wants the filter to be revisited in 3 years to possibly extend it to “deal with other harmful X and R-rated material on the Internet,” its “disappointment” is a good thing.