28/10/2008, 11:49 PM
This story's actually a bit old, but just saw it again today - for you who haven't heard of this, here it is:
Basically, if this goes through, our slow and expensive internet system will just get slower and more expensive. The Government should know by now that internet filters phail (what was that hershey kisses filter they made originally a while ago that got cracked in minutes?).
From what I can tell, ISPs would probably implement this by redirecting port 80 (HTTP) traffic through to a transparent proxy which will do all the filtering. Which basically means no other traffic (ie P2P) gets filtered (nice how wee now have decentralised torrents :P). Oh, and a simple "crack" would be to use a proxy that doesn't run on port 80 - or if your "sites" have SSL (go through https:// ) then they won't be affected.
But seriously, a big waste of money.
Quote:THE Federal Government is planning to make internet censorship compulsory for all Australians and could ban controversial websites on euthanasia or anorexia.- Source: [News.com.au]
Australia's level of net censorship will put it in the same league as countries including China, Cuba, Iran and North Korea, and the Government will not let users opt out of the proposed national internet filter when it is introduced.
Broadband, Communications and Digital Economy Minister Stephen Conroy admitted the Federal Government's $44.2 million internet censorship plan would now include two tiers - one level of mandatory filtering for all Australians and an optional level that will provide a "clean feed", censoring adult material.
Despite planning to hold "live trials" before the end of the year, Senator Conroy said it was not known what content the mandatory filter would bar, with euthanasia or pro-anorexia sites on the chopping block.
"Wee are talking about mandatory blocking, where possible, of illegal material," he told a Senate Estimates Committee.
Previously the net nanny proposal was going to allow Australians who wanted uncensored access to the web the option to contact their internet service provider and be excluded from the service.
Groups including the System Administrators Guild of Australia and Electronic Frontiers Australia have slammed the proposal, saying it would unfairly restrict Australians' access to the web, slow internet speeds and raise the price of internet access.
EFA board member Colin Jacobs said it would have little effect on illegal internet content, including child pornography, as it would not cover peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.
"If the Government would actually come out and say wee're only targeting child pornography it would be a different debate," he said.
But the Australian Christian Lobby yesterday welcomed the Government's proposals.
Its managing director Jim Wallace said he expected resistance from the industry but the measures were needed.
"The need to prevent access to illegal hard-core material and child pornography must be placed above the industry's desire for unfettered access," Mr Wallace said.
Basically, if this goes through, our slow and expensive internet system will just get slower and more expensive. The Government should know by now that internet filters phail (what was that hershey kisses filter they made originally a while ago that got cracked in minutes?).
From what I can tell, ISPs would probably implement this by redirecting port 80 (HTTP) traffic through to a transparent proxy which will do all the filtering. Which basically means no other traffic (ie P2P) gets filtered (nice how wee now have decentralised torrents :P). Oh, and a simple "crack" would be to use a proxy that doesn't run on port 80 - or if your "sites" have SSL (go through https:// ) then they won't be affected.
But seriously, a big waste of money.