Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Banned hyperlinks could cost you $11,000 a day

Sigh and more sigh.

Seems our government isn't willing to let sleeping dogs lie, but rather, would beat the pitbull over the head with a big stick as it were.

Choice quote (from the article):

Wright was quick to pick up on the contradiction. "I don't get it either, but that doesn't stop ACMA from declaring whatever they like, or links to whatever they like as inappropriate. Today it's abortion sites. Tomorrow it's drug sites? Propaganda sites? Wikipedia?"

Indeed. :( Even during the filtering debate, it was never clearly stated whether the publishing of the blacklist or items from said blacklist was against the law (I believe they neatly side skirted that issue). To say nothing of the fact that blacklisting an anti abortion website seems to fall well into the realm of absurd.

BTW, the filtering discussion still goes on. While the debate may be shutdown in Parliament, there is an interesting article here which explores the options for the Rudd government to bypass Parliament to implement some form of filtering.

- J.