Filtering: Final policy is still in the pipe

James Riley
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 17:02

Business IT - Technology

For all its controversy, federal internet filtering plans were not set in stone and the feasibility of Government objectives were still to be weighed against data from its live pilot trial.

And as the policy is more clearly articulated, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has committed to releasing the findings of the report into the trial being drawn up by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. The report will include the technical data from Enex TestLab, which has monitored and measured the trial.

Reacting to comments made by NSW director of public prosecutions Nicholas Cowdery critical of the filtering plan at an eCrime Symposium in Sydney this week, a spokesman for Senator Conroy said the clear goal of any ISP level filtering plan remained the addressing content under Refused Classification category of the National Classification Scheme.

The RC category is illegal material regardless of what medium it appears through. It includes child sex images, sexual violence, and instructional material for committing crimes or terrorism. There is agreed community opinion about this content – but although the objective is clear, the precise measures to control RC material online is still to be finalised.

CORRECTION: Refused Classification (RC) material is identified under the Commonwealth’s National Classification Scheme. Some States and Territories have reserved censorship powers and varying classification requirements. The States and Territories are responsible for enforcement of how films, publications and computer games are sold, hired, exhibited, advertised and demonstrated. Some RC material is legal to own, and the treatment of RC material can differ depending on the medium in various jurisdictions.

“The Government has conducted a live pilot trial which will inform the development of the policy,” the spokesman told iTWire. “There is no silver bullet solution to to cyber safety concers.”

“The Government has a broad- ranging $125 million cyber-safety program, including $49 million for an  additional 91 AFP online child protection and $11.3 million for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, as well as education, help-lines and information, resources, research and consultation,” the spokesman said.