(Mis)Uses of Technology

(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Mike Masnick


Filed Under:
australia, censorship, filters, porn, protests, regulations



Latest Australian Internet Censorship Campaign Begins To Widespread Protests

from the free-the-internet dept

The latest in a long line of attempts by the Australian government to censor the internet is now starting, as ISPs are beginning to filter the internet (sometimes under protest), agreeing to block access to sites on a government blacklist. This plan will cost Austrlian taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, on top of the large amounts already spent on earlier plans that failed.

In response to the start of the new filtering, Australian citizens are taking to the streets in protest, though it's unclear how much of an impact that will have. Once these "trials" fail, with both false positives and false negatives, maybe, just maybe someone in power down under will recognize that censorship is just a bad idea.

16 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 4:17pm
  • by Anonymous Coward

    If censorship is such a bad idea, then when are we going to start seeing peer-reviewed repeatable experiments that damage evolution/big bang in schools.

    What's that? Only certain censorship is bad? Only if we disagree with it?

    We're no different, it's just in different areas run by different people.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 4:43pm
    • Re:

      by Anonymous Poster

      Yes, because discrediting horrible scientific "theories" like Intelligent Design and choosing not to teach such "theories" to students because they're not widely accepted by the scientific community at large is EXACTLY the same as blurring tits on a reality show.

      You are an idiot.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 5:08pm
    • Re:

      by Anonymous Coward

      If censorship is such a bad idea, then when are we going to start seeing peer-reviewed repeatable experiments that damage evolution/big bang in schools.


      And where might those be?

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 5:09pm
    • Re:

      by DS

      You are such an idiot, I'm embarrased that I'm actually replying to you.

      Grade school is NOT THE PLACE for improper science.
      It is only censorship in the same way that we don't allow teachers to teach that 1+2=4, for very high values of 1.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 5:26pm
    • Re:

      by Anonymous Coward

      Oops, you posted in the wrong place for your humorous entry.

      Try one of the following satire sites:
      http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page
      http://www.conservapedia.com/Main_Page
      http:/ /encyclopediadramatica.com/Main_Page

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 5:32pm
    • Re:

      by Tamara


      If censorship is such a bad idea, then when are we going to start seeing peer-reviewed repeatable experiments that damage evolution/big bang in schools.


      Same reason they don't teach that vampires are real in school.

      Censorship is not the same as saying fiction is the truth.

      How does blocking porn sites in anyway related to not being allow to teach fiction in schools?

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

      • Dec 4th, 2008 @ 7:06am
      • Re: Re:

        by Anonymous Coward

        Hate to tell you this, but vampires are real, maybe not in the manner depicted in books and movies, but there are animals who exist by consuming blood from other living beings. And there are in fact people who drink human blood as part of their religion. No, I'm not one of them, but I have spoken to several, at great length, and it is part of their particular belief structure.

        (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

        • Dec 4th, 2008 @ 7:39pm
        • Re: Re: Re:

          by icon Anthony (profile)

          Last time I checked the definition of a vampire is the creature itself, not what they drink. So people that drink blood as part of their religion are not called vampires, neither are animals that consume blood. These people who drink blood don't burst into flame in sunshine, don't get burnt from silver, and the other facets that make up what a vampire is.

          (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

      Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 6:43pm
    • Re:

      by Mike

      What you want are experiments that prove your "god" is real... fortunately we don't all need these fantasies to accept death.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 8:50pm
    • Re:

      by Paul`

      I hope and pray, well... just hope, that you are trolling.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Dec 4th, 2008 @ 4:57am
    • Re:

      by Dawger101

      If censorship is such a bad idea, then when are we going to start seeing peer-reviewed repeatable experiments that damage evolution/big bang in schools.

      When they exist you will, until then we teach science not dogma.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 4:37pm
  • Its starting...

    by government Sux

    Good on ya ozzys... make your stand coz the other governments will _TRY_ to implement these plans as well.

    Governments, You work for the PEOPLE & we will revolt.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 4:44pm
  • by to Anonymous Coward

    When some starts doing peer-reviewable repeatable experiments that damage evolution/big bang they will be taught!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 6:18pm
  • FSM

    by Anonymous Coward

    If you want your children to be taught about the Flying Spaghetti Monster, then you will probably have to do the teaching yourself. Public funds should not be spent for such things.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Dec 3rd, 2008 @ 8:59pm
  • Cleanfeed

    by Paul`

    Read more about it here
    http://nocleanfeed.com/learn.html

    also there is a protest planned for Melbourne on the 13th, state library. Facebook details here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=46838735931

    There will be protests in most major cities on that day around the country.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Dec 8th, 2008 @ 5:18am
  • this is the worst idea ever

    by pissed off

    as an australian citizen and taxpayer, this is the single most frustrating and dissapointing thing our government has done since coming to power. if they go through with this, they are definitely only serving one term. then out on their asses, and good riddance.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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