[WSIS CS-Plenary] Australia opts for education vs filtering of child pornography

[Rik Panganiban]

Interesting article from News.com.au on the Australian government's  
decision to not adopt filtering technologies to keep out child  
pornography, instead opting for public and parent education on the  
dangers of the internet:

	http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/ 
0,4057,11555864%255E15306,00.html

Interesting implications for internet governance and content  
restrictions / censorship issues.

Rik Panganiban
================================


  December 1, 2004

THE Federal Government had rejected mandatory filtering of the internet  
to stop child pornography, Parliament was told today.

  Communications Minister Helen Coonan said the government had recently  
reviewed ways of preventing child pornography, including a  
British-style national internet filtering system but rejected it.

  Senator Coonan said the study had found such a filter would cost  
around $45 million a year initially and $33 million a year in later  
years.

  She said it also had the potential to choke the internet and drive up  
costs for consumers and small business.

  "The biggest issue is not so much the money but such an expensive  
scheme would not necessarily solve the problem and small to medium ISPs  
(internet service providers) would be driven out of business for little  
or no benefit," Senator Coonan said. "What does work is greater  
information and parental supervision and that is the kind of program  
that the government is promoting."

  The government has provided $30 million to educate parents about the  
perils of the internet and ISPs are required to provide cost-price  
filtering software to subscribers.

  Senator Coonan's comments were triggered by a question from  
Independent senator Brian Harradine.

  "Why won't the government at least for the start prevent child porn  
being transmitted into Australia either through the internet and ISPs  
or via satellite?" Senator Harradine said. "Why won't the government  
take that action since we've got laws against child porn?"

  AAP
===============================================
RIK PANGANIBAN       Communications Coordinator
Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations  
(CONGO)
web: http://www.ngocongo.org
email: rik.panganiban at ngocongo.org
mobile: (+1) 917-710-5524

** Please note CONGO's new mailing address: CP 50, 1211 Genéve 20,  
Switzerland.  Our physical office address is 11, Avenue De La Paix, 1st  
Floor, 1202 Genéve, Switzerland. **
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