A ‘blacklist’ of thousands of websites.

Websites that you, your family, friends and colleagues may visit daily but will soon be unable to because they will be blocked.

Wait! What’s happening?

The Australian Government wants all Internet Service Providers in Australia (the people who you get your Internet access from) to block access to websites that the government considers inappropriate, or what they call ‘refused classification’. You won’t know exactly what websites are on the list and you won’t be able to ‘opt-out’ from it, even if you have no children.

What on earth does ‘refused classification’ mean?

Refused classification is what the government calls movies, magazines, video games and websites that don’t fit neatly into any other classification category (like G, PG or MA15+). Stuff inappropriate for children, but in nearly all cases not illegal for adults to purchase, own and view.

For example, a movie which contains scenes of drug addiction that may offend against someone’s morals can be refused classification. Video games which are not suitable for children to play are refused classification. An adult movie which contains spanking can also be refused classification. In fact, any adult film with fetish material is refused classification.

I thought the government only wanted to block child pornography?

Unfortunately, that’s not true. Senator Stephen Conroy (the Minister in charge of this plan) has a bad habit of saying that only websites which contain illegal material like child pornography are refused classification. However, the National Classification Code (the Code which dictates what gets banned and what doesn’t) clearly says otherwise. Read it here for yourself:

RC films and publications contain content that:

depict, express or otherwise deal with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified; or

describe or depict in a way that is likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult, a person who is, or appears to be , a child under 18 (whether the person is engaged in sexual activity or not); or

promote, incite or instruct in matters of crime or violence

As you can see, refused classification is lot more than just child pornography. In fact, less than half of the government’s existing website blacklist is child abuse material. Why? Most child pornography is distributed through other means such as Peer 2 Peer networks — something a blacklist cannot block. More importantly, child pornography is illegal and Australian and international law enforcement agencies already act to bring those responsible to justice. Instead of wasting money on a filter, the government should fund more police to assist in the fight. A filter can’t stop child pornography, it just sweeps some of it under the carpet.

So what will be blocked?

Here’s a couple of examples:

• Violent videos on YouTube of war atrocities. Unsuitable for children, but should adults be restricted from seeing them?
• Websites with consenting adults engaging in fetishes like spanking and bondage
• Adult websites that haven’t been edited for an Australian X rating (nearly, if not all adult websites)
• The Peaceful Pill Handbook and many other sites on euthanasia
• Games unsuitable for children
• Renowned films available worldwide but banned in Australia such as Ken Park and Baise-moi
• ‘Revolting or abhorrent phenomena’… a little generic don’t you think?

Websites about abortion are also at risk of being banned. In January 2009, a page on an anti-abortion website was refused classification and added to the blacklist. It was only after it was revealed to be on the list by the complainant that it was reviewed and reclassified R18+.

If mandatory Internet censorship is introduced, you won’t know a site is on the blacklist until you can no longer visit it.

Worse still, other kinds of material may be added to the National Classification Code in the future and refused classification.

But let’s be clear.

The government is not out to ban websites about bingo or football, or your blog about gardening.

It’s the stuff that is a little grey, a little naughty, a little adult, or a little bit controversial that’s at risk.

Websites inappropriate for children, but okay for adults – Yet the government will block everyone from seeing them online.

Are you okay with that?

There are better ways to keep our kids safe online (and you can do them now)

Mandatory Internet filtering will do nothing to protect children online, especially when the most serious problems young people face when using the Internet are things like cyber bullying and contact with predators in chat rooms. However, there are ways you can make your child’s Internet experience safer right now.

• Supervise your child’s use of the Internet.
• Install filtering software on your home computer. This way you get to decide what is blocked for each member of your family and you still have the freedom to visit what is only suitable for adults
• Educate your children about the risks they face online. If you can’t do it yourself, speak to their teachers.

Forget Santa. It’s time to write to Senator Conroy and tell him what you really want for Christmas.

Not only will we deliver all of your messages to Canberra in a big red sack (no promise we’ll use reindeer), we’ll make sure there’s coal in his Christmas stocking as well.

That’s right, for every 1000 letters sent, we’ll also send a Christmas stocking with coal to the naughty Senator.

Tell Senator Conroy why  you don’t want mandatory Internet censorship for Christmas in 500 characters or less:

Your letter will be printed and delivered alongside everyone elses.

How else can I help?

• Tell a friend about what’s happening.
• Write to your local MP and let them know that you are opposed to the government’s plan.
• Find out more about the filter: Visit NoCleanFeed.com and SomebodyThinkOfTheChildren.com
• Participate in the Great Australian Internet Blackout
• Stay up to date with all the latest censorship news affecting Australians.