SYDNEY: Australia scrapped yesterday a controversial plan to filter the Internet, saying it will instead block hundreds of websites identified by Interpol as among the worst child abuse sites. Labor government had pushed since 2007 for a mandatory Internet filter to protect children, to be administered by service providers, despite criticism it was impractical and set a precedent for censorship.
But Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the government had now reached an agreement with Internet providers that they would block “the worst of the worst” child abuse material that is available on the web to the public.
“Blocking the Interpol ‘worst of’ list meets community expectations and fulfills the government’s commitment to preventing Australian Internet users from accessing child abuse material online,” Conroy said in a statement.
“Given this successful outcome, the government has no need to proceed with mandatory filtering legislation.”
Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd pledged to introduce a mandatory filter in 2007, with Internet providers required to block all sites as identified by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
The idea was that the filter would bar access to material such as rape, drug use, bestiality and child sex abuse.
Australia to filter Internet
