Australian citizens now are facing governmental practices that one would normally only expect in dictatorial or ex-communist countries. The Aussie government is heading for the implementation of an internet filtering system, which internet providers will be mandated to use.
Access Denied
While most of us were already shocked to hear that in countries like China the world's largest search engine Google had to apply self-censorship, the Australian government is about to take it a giant step further. Australian internet providers will be forced to use the proposed internet filtering system in order to block websites with unwanted content.
Forbidden Areas
In the first place this unwanted content consists of child pornography websites and internet sites with instructions or other valuable content for criminals. Yet online gambling sites and political discussions are two other candidates for the censorship campaign.
The first test with the content filtering system will be in June of this year. The Australian government has already allocated 24 million euro's for the testing and implementation of the system.
Heavy Protests
Throughout the entire country protests have arisen. Consumers, civil rights activists, engineers and several politicians labeled the whole operation as downright censorship and being catastrophic for the constitutional state. Aussie's largest Internet service provider has already sent word that it will refuse to participate in the trial runs of the filtering system.
A Threat to Liberty
This new censorship system can become a serious threat to the freedom of the Australian citizens. Such a system can prevent Australians from partaking in regulated and harmless forms of entertainment like online gambling. Filtered out activities and information will very likely find its way via illegal and unregulated channels, outside the reach of any governmental body.
