The US has reportedly questioned the Rudd Government's plans to introduce an Internet filter, saying the move is contrary to some key principles of the Obama Administration.
The Australian newspaper reports the US State Department has discussed the filter with its Australian counterparts, stressing the strength of the bilateral relationship.
Mainly, the department says a filtered Internet is stops the spread of economic growth and global security.
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'Close partners'
US State Department spokesman Noel Clay told the newspaper: "The US and Australia are close partners on issues related to cyber matters generally, including national security and economic issues."
"The US Government's position on internet freedom issues is well known, expressed most recently in Secretary Clinton's January 21st address," Mr Clay says.
"We are committed to advancing the free flow of information, which we view as vital to economic prosperity and preserving open societies globally."
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has embarked on a diplomatic mission to encourage freedom of speech via the Internet, saying the US stands "for a single internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas".
In her address at the start of the year, Ms Clinton slammed web censorship.
List of opponents growing
"...Technologies with the potential to open up access to government and promote transparency can also be hijacked by governments to crush dissent and deny human rights," Ms Clinton says.
The US State Department is the latest addition to a list of vocal opponents of the web filter plan, including web giant Google, Civil Liberties Australia and Save the Children.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says the filter is necessary to stop the spread of obscene material, such as child pornography.
The Liberal party has called the proposal 'unworkable and ineffective', and says adult supervision is the best way to protect children from inappropriate content.
