Leak reveals Internet filtering blacklist open to abuse

Adam Turner
Thursday, 19 March 2009 10:47

Business IT - Networking

In a dramatic week surrounding Australia's internet filtering debate, well-known Twitter user Fake Stephen Conroy was unmasked as Telstra employee Leslie Nassar. For months Nassar has mercilessly lampooned Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy - who is driving efforts to introduce mandatory ISP-level filtering in Australia. At first it seemed the stephenconroy Twitter account had been deleted, but then was reactivated as Nassar got into a public slanging match with Telstra as to whether or not he was forced to stop Twittering as Stephen Conroy.

As tension mounts between pro and anti-filtering camps, the leaking of the blacklist was "bound to happen", says Electronic Frontiers Australia vice-chair Colin Jacobs, and it confirms the groups' worst fears.

"Now that we have seen the list, it is clearly not the perfect weapon against child-abuse it has been made out to be," Jacobs says. "Many of the sites clearly contain only run-of-the-mill adult material, poker tips, or nothing controversial at all. Even if some of these sites may have been defaced at the time they were added to the list, how would the operators get their sites removed if the list is secret and no appeal is possible?" "Controlling the spread of information on the internet is not as simple as some in government would like to believe. The leaking of this blacklist is a timely lesson in this, and we hope the Government will take this to heart before imposing a filter on the entire country."

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has comdemned the publication of the list, although he denies that it is the true ACMA blacklist.

"The leak and publication of prohibited URLs is grossly irresponsible. It undermines efforts to improve cyber–safety and create a safe online environment for children," Senator Conroy said.

"There are some common URLs to those on the ACMA blacklist. However, ACMA advises that there are URLs on the published list that have never been the subject of a complaint or ACMA investigation, and have never been included on the ACMA blacklist."

"ACMA is investigating this matter and is considering a range of possible actions it may take including referral to the Australian Federal Police. Any Australian involved in making this content publicly available would be at serious risk of criminal prosecution."