As more and more aspects of life move online, governments are forced to make a decision on how much they will interfere with the content their citizens can access.
In Australia, a government plan to introduce a mandatory Internet filter has been met with widespread criticism from the online community, but with support from child protection groups.
Under the plan, Internet service providers would be responsible for blacklisting material refused classification by the government, including content on bestiality, child sex abuse, sexual violence and instructions on crime and drug use.
Child advocacy groups say that the onus is on ISPs to ensure children are protected in every way possible from exposure to harmful material.
Critics of the plan say harmless Web sites have already been unjustly placed on the government's blacklist, and stress that users who seek out illegal content are usually Web-savvy enough to byapss a filter.
Anti-filter activists have declared a 'Great Australian Internet Blackout', urging over 500 Web sites to fade their pages to black for several days including Australia Day.
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