'The internet must be free'

13 Apr 2010, 12:51 pm   -   Source: AAP
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The US ambassador to Australia has criticised Conroy's internet filter plan (Getty Images)

The US ambassador to Australia has criticised Conroy's internet filter plan (Getty Images)

US ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich has criticised the federal government's mandatory internet filter plan, saying the web must be open and free.

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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.

Despite the US offering to share alternative methods to combat illegal content, such as child pornography, the government is pushing ahead with its plan, described by critics as akin to censorship.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has said the filter would be aimed at blocking access to illegal material or content on the refused classification list.

Scores of submissions

He is currently working through 174 submissions that will be used to draft the legislation.

"The submissions are feeding into the development of the legislative framework and once those processes are complete the legislation will be introduced into parliament," a spokeswoman for Senator Conroy said.

"It will be later this year."

But Mr Bleich, echoing a view expressed by the US State Department, said there were other ways of policing illegal content that would not impinge on freedom.

'Internet must be free'

"The internet needs to be free," Mr Bleich said.

"We have been able to accomplish the goals that Australia has described, which is to capture and prosecute child pornographers ... without having to use internet filters."

Mr Bleich said discussions between Washington and Canberra on sharing other methods of combating illegal content were "ongoing".

"We have other means and we are willing to share our efforts with them," he said.

The comments follow those of a State Department official who said mandatory internet filtering was contrary to US foreign policy aimed at encouraging open internet access and the spread of economic growth and global security.

The political activist group, Get Up!, seized Mr Bleich's comments, signalling a renewed push to campaign against the plan.

Vast majority 'against filter'

GetUp! national director Simon Sheikh said a poll conducted by the group showed 86 per cent of Australians were also opposed to mandatory filtering.

"The US government have decades of experience in protecting children online," he said.

"With far more advanced technical experts then our own government, we should be taking their advice on the ineffectiveness and immorality of censoring the internet very seriously."

Some of the world's largest providers of internet services, including Google and Yahoo, have also criticised the government's plans, describing the move as heavy-handed.

Google said that while protecting the free exchange of ideas and information could not be without some limits, people should retain the right to freedom of expression.

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Your Comments

Christians want filter?

Geoff - from Brisbane, 2 years ago

Thomas, I'm not sure what you meant by "Australian Christian Extremists", although it would make a cool acronym. 'Exteme', in the genuine Christian context, tends to take the form of self-sacrifice motivated by God's love for others, as exemplified by God himself in Christ. I doubt that many 'extreme' Christians would disagree with you that parents and not politics should sort out home Internet use.

lies and more lies

thomas vesely - from melbourne, 2 years ago

this man is a tool of the vatican and australian christian extremists.(conroy)....parents should deal with issues of appropriate access to the net and everywhere else too,that is their role as parents.

Ms

Dawn - from Melbourne, 2 years ago

We are already over governed & over regulated.
This filter will end out freedom to choose & just drive the crims underground not caught.
Voluntary euthanasia is another site they intend to block when over 80% of us want the right to choose this too.
Demand our right too choose now or lose it altogether.
If it is passed who knows what else they will use it for??????

Find the root cause

Oliver - from Mount Eliza, 2 years ago

When we have a problem (such as child pornography in this case) the best practice would be to go to the root cause of the problem and fix it rather then scratching the surface like filtering the internet (that affects all of us) and pretending these bad things does not exit!

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