Australian Internet Censorship

As an Australian and an internet user, I have serious concerns about the new mandatory "clean feed" filter initiative.

Given currently unstable economic climate, I am outraged at the proposal to waste untold millions of our tax dollars on the proposed filters. According to the Government's tests, they are inefficient at blocking ‘inappropriate’ and/or ‘illegal’ content (however loosely you define it), often mistakenly block websites that are neither, and can easily be bypassed by users with even a modicum of internet knowledge. Furthermore, given that your tests also determined that most of the filters slowed internet speeds by 22-87%, I cannot see how this is line with Government plans to update and modernise Australia’s internet capabilities.

I am also amazed at the response to the overwhelmingly negative public reaction to the proposal. Instead of consulting and discussing their plans, those behind it have become publicly silent but continue apace with their implementation. This is not how I think a democracy works.

Given the vast amount of Internet content available, and its extremely dynamic nature, I sincerely doubt the Government will ever be able to classify it all. It is an exercise in futility: a clear waste of taxpayer dollars. Additionally, Australian households are diverse, and many do not have young children, so mandating a one-size-fits-all approach does not serve the public interest. It is not the Government's role to decide what is or is not appropriate for me, for parents, for children - for Australians.

I strongly protest the proposed censorship of the Internet, and demand an end to this plan which will cost all of Australia time, money, liberty and stability.