Nanny state makes Net Nanny compulsory

THE AUSTRALIAN government's attempt to set up a Great Firewall of Oz to rival that of Communist China is coming along nicely, it seems.

Telecommunications Minister Stephen Conroy ordered ISPs to ensure all Australian homes and schools are free of porn by providing "clean feeds" or ISP filtering.

Conroy said he was making no apologies that he was driving Australia down the same road of internet censorship that the Chinese have be racing down at speed.

He reckons freedom of speech is not the same thing as freedom to allow children to watch porn.

Not surprisingly the moves to try to censor the net down under have got human rights groups all a flutter.

These claim, amongst other things, that the Aussie government's filters could break the internet.

However Conroy said that the government will be working closely with ISPs to make sure that the system works.

He also says that anyone wanting uncensored access to the internet will have to opt out of the service. Which is unlike China where you have no chance to opt out.

More here. µ