Group items tagged

Fourth and featured blog post in my series on Protest Movements.

A woman who believed her daughter died after being gang-raped by thugs associated with police, was supported in her efforts for justice by internet activists who posted allegedly "slanderous" material on the Internet. Rather than naming those who had allegedly been slandered, the court argued that the slander affected the state. Bloggers reported from the courthouse and spread messages via Twitter in support of the accused.

"Australia's biggest technology companies, communications academics and many lobby groups have delivered a withering critique of the government's plans to censor the internet." (quoting smh, 23/3/10, 4.40pm)

Nestle's heavy-handed reaction to the Greenpeace advert doing the rounds online - where an office worker bites into the fingers of an orangutan to highlight the destruction of their habitat by palm oil producers who supply to Nestle - is causing some backlash for them on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, including their own 'fan' pages.

A really interesting conversation thread on Slashdot about the US Government's concern over Australian ISP filter proposals, and Conroy's denial that his office has been contacted. Posters discuss net neutrality, US and Chinese interests, ACTA, practical realities of filter implementation etc.

Even Piers Ackerman thinks the Government's proposed ISP filtering is a bad idea! Possibly the first time I've ever been on the same side of a debate as Ackerman, makes me feel a little nauseous. Granted, this is really just another avenue of Rudd/Labor bashing for him, but it shows that there are people on both sides of the political divide who oppose internet censorship.

If you missed Abbott on Q&A last night the full transcript is here (http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s2859473.htm?show=transcript) or I've extracted the main bit about ISP filtering on my blog (http://logocopblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/facebook-v-isp-filtering-via-abbott.html). This article from the Oz also provides a good recap of Abbott's comments and some analysis...

Is Conroy backing down or just trying a new approach. the Minister has described the MISP as a 'modest measure today', in an effort to make it sound like a perfectly normal - or uncontroversial - thing to do...

Follow up article to Ambassador Bleich's appearance on Q&A last night, where he said the "internet has to be free" and that there were other means of combating nasty content such as child pornography. "We have been able to accomplish the goals that Australia has described, which is to capture and prosecute child pornographers ... without having to use internet filters" Surely a strong American stance against the MISP means no MISP?

Blog post

The Iranian government has allegedly blocked a popular French broadcaster website because of its reliance on social networking sites and other amateur techniques of online journalism.

This article is about an intresting hacker attack to the government portal website. The orgnazion Anounymous laughed this attack to express their protest of the forthcoming Mandatory ISP filtering plan. Several government site are down at February 10th 2010 morning. The alleged principle of Anounymous is to fight against the threaten of internet freedom.

Worth checking out - Villeneuve works for the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab (http://citizenlab.org/) as a 'white hat' hacker who focuses on government censorship and espionage. Thanks to Elizabeth Gan for posting the Toronto Star article (http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/791274--hackers-not-just-geeks-but-activists) where I found reference to this guy.

Great Larvatus Prodeo post over the weekend, written for Electronic Frontiers Australia about the internet filter. Quite long, but here is a key quote: "The Internet ... is part of that secular movement towards the democratisation of social relations; and of knowledge. It's precisely because the Internet affords so much promise for those who wish to decide their destinies in common, to learn, to form an informed judgement and habit of thought that its freedom from state interference is so important at the level of principle." http://larvatusprodeo.net/2010/04/16/left-reasons-to-oppose-the-net-filter-nocleanfeed/

The University of Sydney's IT Alumni Association will next week bring together IT experts in networking, industry, law, child welfare and ethics to discuss the Federal Government's plans to introduce compulsory internet filtering by Internet Service Providers. Forum details When 6.30pm for a 7pm start, Wednesday 28 April 2010 Where Boardroom (Room 124), School of IT Building, 1 Cleveland Street, The University of Sydney How Entry is free and open to the public but online registration by 23 April is essential. For more information http://www.it.usyd.edu.au/alumni/discussion_forum.shtml

Stephen Conroy responds to the 'myths' about ISP filtering on the Punch

surprise surprise, the MISP is off the agenda till after the election...

"we are not amused".....i don't think this can be resurrected...unless there's a huge public outcry about something and they wheel it back in.

how much time and money has been wasted on these initiatives that get shelved?

Third blog post in my series of posts about Internet Protest Movements.

This article argues that the best alternative to fight against the Iranian Government, is providing the country with free satellite internet access. The flow of information and the use of Internet like a democratic tool will allow the own citizens to defeat the regime

In what appears to be a direct warning to the Australian founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange had his passport confiscated for a period of time at Melbourne Airport (on the basis that it looked worn) and then had his bags searched, being questioned on about his 1991 criminal record for hacking offences. Wikileaks published the confidential list of sites that would form the blacklist under the Australian government's proposed net filter. Coincidence? I think not.

Further, Assange was interrviewed on Dateline last night and said that Wikileaks was potentially going to be investigated by the Australian Federal Police over the leak. However, the AFP aren't pursuing it since it's out of their scope. http://www.zdnet.com.au/afp-called-to-investigate-wikileaks-339303208.htm

Julian Assange is hassled and detained by customs entering Melbourne airport. Then a Fed pulls him over again in arrivals and questions him on an old hacking charge. Punishment for the leaking the Black List perhaps? Surely not...