It seems either the Australian Government is either creating a new Chinese "great wall" or the nanny state depending on whichever view you take.
http://www.infoworld.com/news/feeds/08/10/13/No-opt-out-of-filtered-Internet.html?source=gsAustralians will be unable to opt-out of the government's pending Internet content filtering scheme, and will instead be placed on a watered-down blacklist, experts say. Under the government's $125.8 million Plan for Cyber-Safety, users can switch between two blacklists which block content inappropriate for children, and a separate list which blocks illegal material. Pundits say consumers have been lulled into believing the opt-out proviso would remove content filtering altogether.
The government will iron-out policy and implementation of the Internet content filtering software following an upcoming trial of the technology, according to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
Department spokesman Tim Marshall said the filters will be mandatory for all Australians.
EFA chair Dale Clapperton said in a previous article that Internet content filtering could lead to censorship of drugs, political dissident and other legal freedoms."Once the public has allowed the system to be established, it is much easier to block other material," Clapperton said.
According to preliminary trials, the best Internet content filters would incorrectly block about 10,0000 Web pages from one million.
If this is allowed to happen and Australians sit back and do nothing to ensure safeguards are in place for their right to free expression then I have to say they are doomed to a crippled internet that will feed them only pro government content and censor whatever the politicians want and whenever they want, this surely is a case of technology creep and one that needs to be addressed now while their is still time to secure a real opt out of what is the most worrying case of over-broad censorship outside of China, famed for its repressive society, is this the picture of itself Australians wish to share with the rest of the free world ?
