Google soon to be banned in Australia

[bilateralrope]

Source

Recent action by the Australian Government may see Google and many other popular websites banned in Australia under existing censorship laws.

Under the Communications Legislation Amendment (Content Services) Act 2007 sites that link to content that is Refused Classification (RC) are considered themselves to be RC, and if hosted in Australia, site owners can be ordered to remove the link(s), or fined AU$11,000 a day.

The problem is that the provisions potentially make most sites on the internet illegal. Take for example the leaked Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) blacklist on Wikileaks we wrote about earlier. Given that the list was published after ACMA banned a similar list from Denmark, it’s fair to say that linking to the Australian list will be illegal as well from Australia. Note at this point that the content in the list consists entirely of URLs and does not in itself publish pictures or video; under the act, the links in the list are illegal content (RC) because of what they link to. Likewise, linking to that list is illegal because the list itself is now illegal. Any site that links to the list of links then becomes prohibited content. Most sites would have a front page with internal links, so any page on a site that links to the post that links to the list of links becomes illegal. Keeping up?

If I was linking to XYZ blog, and XYZ blog was linking to ABC blog who had linked to the list, all the pages in the chain are illegal, because each one links to prohibited content. Any site linking to me then becomes illegal, and so on.

But it gets better, because it took 1 second for me to bring up a page in Google which links to the Denmark list. If the Denmark list is prohibited content, then Google is in breach of the act as well, and could well end up being banned. And that’s before you even consider that Google itself takes copies of pages through Google Cache (I’m not allowed to link to it, but it is there, in full in Google.)

This is the stupidity of what is essentially a thought crime: criminalizing a list of links which are text and do not in themselves constitute child porn or other physical illegal activity. The law sets off a chain that could potentially result in most, if not all of the internet in Australia being banned by the Government.

Sounds extreme? well so is making laws that say sites are refused classification for a link and not content. Fascism in Australia has a very wide bow.

At least blocking the entire internet means that you won't have to worry about degraded performance when you are viewing the allowed websites.

[General Zod]

It's almost like the Australian government just really hates the internet or something the way they constantly fuck things up over there. . .

[weemadando]

Yeah, we've talked about this a lot in N&P. Though it looks shaky now because Family First (read: Right Wing Christian Fundie party that holds the balance of power in the Senate) just turned on Labor, so unless KRudd really wants to out himself as the crazy mega-church lover that he is, then this might finally get to go away.

[The Romulan Republic]

Ban Google? Fuck, why not just go all the way, ban political opposition, and declare the current leader dictator for life?

[Resinence]

For fucks sake no need to kneejerk OMG THEY ARE TRYING TO CREATE A DICTATORSHIP.

The real problem here is the current Government's Moral Crusade against "The Internet", I'm sure it has nothing to do with his ties to certain evangelical churches whatsoever! No sir. It's obvious that this is just another one of their poorly thought out and bullshit morality acts masquerading under the guise of "protecting children from the internet", but anyone who has a brain can see that the real goal is censorship of "immoral" material like pornography and well... anything kev and his buddies don't agree with. Censorship is the name of the game and the Labor government just loves it, and anybody who calls them on it for what it is must be a pedophile who just doesn't want to be caught looking at kiddy porn evil bastard with a heart of black that hates children. They probably weren't happy that not everything except PRAISE-JEBUS.ORG.AU was blocked with their internet Censorship filtering to protect children and so this act is designed to catch everything else, too bad whoever wrote it has NO IDEA how the net works or what hotlinking is. A law not being thought through in Aus? I can't believe it!

[The Romulan Republic]

They may not be trying to create a dictatorship, but I would question how democratic a government can remain with this level of censorship.

[pj1351]

Shit, what I knew about the current Australian Federation government's plans for mandatory (so much for people being able to opt-out) ISP-level filter was bad enough. To find out how incompetent they are in managing their blacklist, and the potentially far reaching powers they gave themselves to control Australia's access to the Internet... Bloody hell, I just hope I'm being pessimistic when I get visions of websites that are critical of the Kruddy misgovernment getting slipped into the blacklists.

[Resinence]

Unfortunately even though Aus is a democracy technically, it really is more along the lines of "who do the uninformed bogan majority hate the most right now". Also having any plans whatsoever to reform the welfare system that said stupid assholes live off is political suicide - so much for saving money there for the recession. But hey! We even have polititians running who outright state that there is no global recession at all (lol borgy running for QLD useless state elections), and with the liberals collapsed into the LNP aka Complete Disarray with no decent candidates currently, Labor, with their members of crazy churches that mysteriously no one mentions is really the only choice, at least isn't Family First, even the name should make you cringe - oh wait, labor has been even worse! (Well you could throw your vote away vote for the insane NIMBY hippy Greens I guess )

Shit, what I knew about the current Australian Federation government's plans for mandatory (so much for people being able to opt-out) ISP-level filter was bad enough. To find out how incompetent they are in managing their blacklist, and the potentially far reaching powers they gave themselves to control Australia's access to the Internet... Bloody hell, I just hope I'm being pessimistic when I get visions of websites that are critical of the Kruddy misgovernment getting slipped into the blacklists.

If I remember correctly they don't even have to disclose the blacklists to the public, it's fucking disgusting, they could add whatever the hell they want to it. Great Firewall of Australia! Maybe most of LNP is completely unlikable but at least they aren't completely fucking insane.

Of course, Australia is still completely backwards when it comes to IT and IT infrastructure, I doubt most people even understand or care what the "big fuss is about" I mean they just want to block the bad part of the internet! Whats so bad about that! MAYBE YOU ARE JUST ANGRY BECAUSE YOU ARE IMMORAL, THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!

[pj1351]

For those wondering, that blacklist that was leaked to Wikileaks apparently included:

• online poker sites
• YouTube links
• regular gay and straight porn sites
• Wikipedia entries
• euthanasia sites
• fringe religious sites
• fetish sites
• Christian sites
• a tour operator
• a dentist
• school canteen consultant
• animal carers
• web hosting and web design company

See: link to The Age article.

[Glimmervoid]

Wait, they fine you for linking to black list sites and they will not tell you what is on the black list?

[weemadando]

Wait, they fine you for linking to black list sites and they will not tell you what is on the black list?

That's right, it's a secret blacklist which will be maintained and updated by a committee which will not be subject to oversight or FoI provisions. There is no known appeal process in place and they're also yet to divulge what penalties may apply to those who attempt access blacklisted sites under the new enforcement regime.

[bobalot]

Australian democracy is not under attack. Engaging in gigantic hyperbole is fucking retarded. I'm just waiting for some moron to compare Australia to some authoritarian shithole.

The Labor government needs the support of Family First (A group of Christian Rightwing Nutjobs). This is the bone that has to be thrown their way. I doubt it will ever go ahead. I suspect Labor is just going through the motions of getting it put into place and when it fails (and it will, the system wills imply not work), they will turn around to family first and say "Hell, we tried, it's been proven to be not practicable. So are you going to keep your promise and pass our legislation in the senate?".

This method will cost the taxpayer tens of millions of dollars. Unfortunately, it is the only way Labor can get legislation through the senate (that I can see).

[weemadando]

Which is why I mentioned earlier in the thread that it's looking dubious now after Fielding turned on them to shut down the alcopops tax and the employment reforms. With him out of the picture it's possible that they mightn't feel like railroading it through anymore.

And as for gigantic hyperbole, I think that when the Minister in charge does it (anyone opposed to the filter is a pedophile after all) then we have a right to engage in a bit ourselves.

[Zixinus]

How do they plan to uphold this measure? You'll have millions of people breaking this measure the moment this gets live.

[The Romulan Republic]

Australian democracy is not under attack. Engaging in gigantic hyperbole is fucking retarded. I'm just waiting for some moron to compare Australia to some authoritarian shithole.

How is banning almost the entire internet, and creating a blacklist that nobody can access, with no oversight, not a threat to democracy? I'm not saying the government of Australia is plotting their imminent takeover, but this is pretty bloody outrageous, and things like this will make it easier for someone else to turn the country into a dictatorship down the line.

[Tanasinn]

Something tells me this unenforcable mess isn't going to do much to placate the Jesus freak lunatics it's aimed at, either.

[Mr Bean]

How is banning almost the entire internet, and creating a blacklist that nobody can access, with no oversight, not a threat to democracy? I'm not saying the government of Australia is plotting their imminent takeover, but this is pretty bloody outrageous, and things like this will make it easier for someone else to turn the country into a dictatorship down the line.

*Checks date on Internet*
*Checks date on Australian Independence*
.....Yeah... you know what? I think countries can muddle through somehow without the Internet, they managed SOMEHOW for a good six decades. Nitpick not until 1986 were they 100% independent but by 1931 they were their own nation. America managed pretty well for it's own two centuries to be a democracy without the internet.

Democracies do not need net-access to function and the fact you are making such a illogical argument speaks more to the shocking state of education and reason in your own country TRR than it does for Australasia foolishly draconian censorship laws.

[bilateralrope]

Since a site that links to a banned site is also a banned site. and this chain has no maximium length, how many government websites will be blocked under this law ?

Or would a better questions be "How many Australian governments will remain legal under this law ?"

Is the family first website allowed ?

[bobalot]

Australian democracy is not under attack. Engaging in gigantic hyperbole is fucking retarded. I'm just waiting for some moron to compare Australia to some authoritarian shithole.

How is banning almost the entire internet, and creating a blacklist that nobody can access, with no oversight, not a threat to democracy? I'm not saying the government of Australia is plotting their imminent takeover, but this is pretty bloody outrageous, and things like this will make it easier for someone else to turn the country into a dictatorship down the line.

1) It's unlikely to ever go ahead. The PM of Australia uses facebook, blogs and all that other crap for his own election. This censorship bill faces opposition from within the Labor party, the opposition and the greens. The chances of it ever going ahead is absolutely nil.
2) There is absolutely no evidence that Australia is turning into a dictatorship.
3) The reason WHY this is coming about is because of because the government is trying to placate OPPOSITION in the senate. HOLY SHIT! We must be down the road to fascism!
4) You don't know shit.

[bobalot]

Since a site that links to a banned site is also a banned site. and this chain has no maximium length, how many government websites will be blocked under this law ?

Or would a better questions be "How many Australian governments will remain legal under this law ?"

Is the family first website allowed ?

Family First is a joke. They want to censor TV, Radio and the internet for the "children". Their version of "family" is a white nuclear christian family. Everybody else doesn't count. Their understanding of technology is so poor that I suspect a homeless hobo off the street would have a better grasp of telecommunications technology then Senator Fielding.

Labor should just just keep trying to get popular legislation passed in the senate like the abolition of work choices* and when the opposition and family first blocks it, call a double dissolution (new election) and campaign on work choices. The result of the last election was loud and clear. The people rejected Work Choices. Nobody gave a shit about the environment, Iraq, education etc. It was work choices. All Labor has to do day and night is to keep hammering away with work choices, and they should be able to increase their majority.

*For the non-Australians on this board, WorkChoices were new Labor laws that stripped many conditions from the current system of enterprise bargaining. It was so unpopular that the Prime Minister lost his own seat and the old government was swept away in a near landslide.

[Stofsk]

*For the non-Australians on this board, WorkChoices were new Labor laws

I think you mean 'labour' not 'Labor'. Labor is short for the ALP, who most assuredly did not introduce Workchoices, while labour is the Australian/English spelling of the word. The way it reads in the quoted brackets it sounds like they were Labor/ALP laws, if you follow.

I only nitpick because it was Howard's baby, and it was introduced when the Coalition was in government, and like you said it was responsible for Howard's demise and the lovely Chairman Rudd taking over. I'm also nitpicking because I'm bored.

[bobalot]

*For the non-Australians on this board, WorkChoices were new Labor laws

I think you mean 'labour' not 'Labor'. Labor is short for the ALP, who most assuredly did not introduce Workchoices, while labour is the Australian/English spelling of the word. The way it reads in the quoted brackets it sounds like they were Labor/ALP laws, if you follow.

I only nitpick because it was Howard's baby, and it was introduced when the Coalition was in government, and like you said it was responsible for Howard's demise and the lovely Chairman Rudd taking over. I'm also nitpicking because I'm bored.

I stand corrected. =P

Why do they call him chairman Rudd? He's hardly left wing.

[Stark]

It continues to amuse me that people still think this will happen. It'd be funny to see them turn it on, cripple Australian business and bankrupt corps, and then hurriedly turn it off again, though.

[Xon]

I find it sad that the filter trials have been pulling $90000 in funding from police enforcement to pay for the hardware the trial participents are installing.

[General Zod]

It continues to amuse me that people still think this will happen. It'd be funny to see them turn it on, cripple Australian business and bankrupt corps, and then hurriedly turn it off again, though.

I have to wonder how many federal and local Australian government agencies would fall under the "refused classification" guideline; somehow I can't help but giggle at the thought of this being implemented and suddenly thousands of government workers being unable to actually work.