Coonan Backtracks On ISP Filtering
Coonan Backtracks On ISP Filtering
March 27th, 2006: One day after criticising Labor’s plan for mandatory Internet Service Provider (ISP) filtering of graphic and violent material, Senator Helen Coonan has taken a back step and indicated that the Government is not ruling out plans for a similar filtering system.
The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan came under fire from Liberal backbencher Guy Barnett on Wednesday when he rejected the Senators claims that mandatory filters would cost too much for too little benefit. Senator Barnett says that it is the reliance on PC-based filters that is unsatisfactory because many parents do not make use of home filtering technology.
In response to Mr Barnett’s comments, Senator Coonan says that “the Government has not ruled out ISP-based filtering and is currently undertaking a trial in Tasmania in conjunction with the internet safety agency NetAlert”.
Senator Cooner has previously dismissed ISP-level filtering as unworkable, saying that: “Labor’s plans to force Internet Service Providers to filter the Internet will only result in slowing down the Internet for every Australian without effectively protecting children from inappropriate and offensive content,” adding that: “Kim Beazley’s flawed plans to protect families are not even supported by members of his own party.”
Senator Barnett claims that industry experts have told him that filters can be introduced without detriment to services, however, this remains to be seen. Ignoring any impact on speed, the effectiveness of filtering technology is highly questionable. The SPAM problem for example, has been attacked on many fronts with only limited success.
The Government already bans all x-rated and Restricted Classification content from being hosted in Australia.
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