Conroy: No broadening of web filter

10 May 2010, 8:43 am   -   Source: SBS Staff
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Critics say the scope of the web filter is already too broad. (Getty)

Critics say the scope of the web filter is already too broad. (Getty)

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has reportedly said that the government will not be broadening the scope of the proposed internet filter

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Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has reportedly told the ABC's Four Corners program that the government will not broaden the proposed level of censorship in the controversial web filter plans.

"We're making it very clear, this is our policy: refused classification only" , the ABC reports Conroy as saying.

Conroy had previously come under fire for saying that any 'prohibited content' - ie material not protected by ACMA - would be included under the filter's plans, but comments later last year leaned towards only putting 'refused classificaion' content on the list.

Critics have said all along they feel the list is too broad, but Conroy has told the ABC that selecting what is and is not on the list won't be up to him.

"Individual pages will be determined by - at arm's length from government - by the Classification Board, as it should be," he said.

"Stephen Conroy and the Government do not make the individual decisions."

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Your Comments

the check is ON the mail.

thomas vesely - from melbourne, 2 years ago

mr.conroy has lost the trust of the electorate,as has the current government,no matter how many protestations of non proliferation of banned subjects he makes,we know better.as history demonstrates.........if it can be abuse,it will be.

conroy?

mick - from free Australia 2010, 2 years ago

i would trust this guy as far as i could throw him.You want to live like they do in Iran? then stick with labor.

Stupid idea

Geoff - from Cairns, 2 years ago

Ahh, another policy guaranteed to help them loose the next election, has anyone told Steven that nobody except his advisors and a few religious nuts, actually want this filter. Seems this government not only wants to loose the next election, but wants to be kicked out, in a spectacular fashion.

heh

milali - from goldy, 2 years ago

I wonder if Rudd knows retarded decisions like this are why he's going to lose the next election

It couldn't get any broader really.

Rich - from Sydney, 2 years ago

Basically, 'Refused Classification' means anything ACMA has blacklisted. Given that this RC list is undisclosed and therefore it's contents are secret, it basically can include anything that the government wants and is not subject to public scrutiny. Therefore, 'Refused Classification' is as broad as it any blacklist could possibly be. Otherwise it would have to be a whitelist.

Broad Horizons

Collin Van Uden - from Ballarat, Victoria, 2 years ago

1: The potential for 'broadened' censorship under the proposed policy has only (so far) been a concern in terms of the fact that it provides a platform for future Governments to increase the scope of web censorship. To suggest otherwise is somewhat misleading. 2: We understand the ACMA will be in 'control' of the RC list. Again, I don't think this was ever the issue - rather it's the inherent flaws in our classification system that raises the ire of those against the filter.

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