I am on my soapbox...

Photo - Shuttleworth Foundation (Flickr)

Today's lecture really got me thinking...for a change AND got me really really fired up.  It was interesting to learn the history of the current governments attempts to provide all of us with a 'clean feed' internet.

"What this means is that Australian Internet Service Providers (ISP's) will now have to filter the Internet to block access to websites that would be "Refused Classification" under Australia's classification laws.

The filter will be based on blocking a list of between 1,000 and 10,000 web page addresses (“URLs”). That list is called a ‘blacklist’.  This list of URLs will be maintained by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, and will be added to by lists from overseas groups that make their own lists (such as the Internet Watch Foundation)."  Electronic Frontiers Australia.

I am of the opinion that EVERYONE has the RIGHT to choose....anything!  The only people this does not technically apply to are my two gorgeous daughters...sorry girls - perhaps when you are older!  I extend this belief to fluoride in the water, abortion, religious beliefs, sexual preferences etc etc.  Who am I to make those type of decisions for people.  The same can be said for the 'clean feed' internet.  I have a list an arm long of reason why this should not be allowed and here are the main reasons.

• First and foremost, it is a violation of MY right to parent my children as I see fit. 
• If this were to go ahead, many parents would be lulled into a false sense of security as they believe that the internet is safe as it has a filter on it and therefore not take due diligence when their children are using it.
• As the list is secret, how do we know the content that is being placed on it?
• We are violating the right of those without children as this is all been packaged in order to 'protect the children'.
• Who is paying for this?  Me as a taxpayer!  Who is to say that the ISP providers will not put their prices up to accommodate the additional costs of having to filter their service.  
• We would be joining only a handful of countries in the world where such extreme censorship is in place...China being one of them!  Yikes, not too sure about being placed in that political basket...
• Once on the black list, how do you get off the list?  Case in point, the dentist that was placed on the list.  Is there an appeal system in place?

Filters will not cure the problem of inappropriate material on the internet as all it is doing is forcing the content further underground and makes it harder to police and merely places a rather dodgy blindfold on our kids (and parents) for a while.  In addition, if you forbid or close one site down another will pop up in its place.  Saddam Hussein may be dead, but radical terrorism activity has not ceased.  The key is EDUCATION!!!!!!  Spend the money on educating our children and some parents about the dangers.  Make it part of the curriculum (SOSE).  I realise that the curriculum is overloaded in schools already, but this could be seamlessly integrated into many parts of the curriculum and daily pedagogy.  The concerns that sparked this irrational proposal are valid, I just do not believe that taking away our rights and treating us like nitwits is the solution either.