Vodafone may support Interpol filter

Renai LeMay
Thursday, 14 July 2011 11:31

IT Industry - Strategy

The nation's two biggest telcos Telstra and Optus have pledged to implement a voluntary filtering framework developed by the ISP industry's peak representative body, the Internet Industry Association. The filter, which is being seen as a more moderate industry approach developed in reaction to the Federal Government's much more comprehensive filter scheme, will see the ISPs block a 'worst of the worst' list of child pornography sites generated by international police agency Interpol.

A number of other ISPs, however, such as Internode, TPG and Exetel, have taken a strong stand against the project, stating they will only implement the scheme if the law requires them to do so. iiNet has also cautiously stated that it will comply with the law but has stopped short of backing the scheme.

Late yesterday, Vodafone appeared to cautiously back the IIA's framework. 'VHA (Vodafone) supports the development of the new Internet Industry Association (IIA) ISP code, which will help guide the mobile internet industry in appropriately dealing with illegal content,' a spokesperson for the organisation said.

Pressed on the matter of whether that meant the telco would actually be implementing the filter, the spokesperson would only say that the telco was 'currently looking at solutions and working with industry'.

If Vodafone does support the filter, it will add substantial weight to the scheme.