Hacktivists Force Pause in Australian Net Censorship

[rickynumber24]

Wow, if this is true then that means that Anonymous has actually achieved it's goals, at least slightly. I agree with most of the ideals Anonymous stands for, but I really doubted that they could have any positive effect through their methods. Apparently I was wrong, which is definitely a good thing.

It's also pretty worrying though... what if groups with more questionable ideals start doing the same thing?

Anonymous are a bunch of internet terrorists, and occasionally I worry about the implications of that.
That said, I've always been pleased that they have their heart in the right place, when they decide to actually select a target for the purpose of making a statement.

Terrorist is such a strong word. I think freedom fighter is more fitting.

Indeed it is. I salute these freedom fighters.

However, let us never kid ourselves about their methods.

(edit: wording)

 

[Thumper17]

Wow..

Anonymous could actually be helpful.

Wow..

 

[Kiefer13]

This is exactly why, like it or not, we need people like Anonymous around.

I may not agree with everything they've done, but I do agree with a lot of it. I think it's important that regular people can come together and protest attempts to censor the internet like this.

 

[CommanderKirov]

Hurray! Child Pornography gets to live and It's soooo- Waaait a minute.


Funnily enough when I read more about this internet filter and the fact that only Interpol is allowed to actually put sites on it... You know I don't think it's such a bad idea.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Hurray! Child Pornography gets to live and It's soooo- Waaait a minute.


Funnily enough when I read more about this internet filter and the fact that only Interpol is allowed to actually put sites on it... You know I don't think it's such a bad idea.

That's just one of the proposals... Best of any put forward, admittedly, and if people are so fucking anxious to get this filter bullshit in place then it's about as good as it's going to get because it avoids the moralist fuckwit crusaders.

 

[Sud0_x]

So wait....Stopping people from looking up child porn is bad? Now i may not be a genius but last i checked child porn is a horrible thing and if that is what they are blocking i am all for it.

Do you have to do this in every related thread? You've had plenty of people explain their concerns to you and you just keep right on trolling, I'm only responding to you because unfortunately I felt I couldn't report you because at a glance it wouldn't look like you've done anything to earn it. Relax on the "kiddy porn" crusade, have some pancakes, heck maybe you've found your calling as a conservative politician. Just take a break mate.

 

[Sud0_x]

I think that these illegal websites should just be brought down.
Or is it more complicated than that?
Because i do agree that if this was to go through, levels of censorship would only escalate.

Yeah Australia already gets a bad rap for its conservative nanny state censorship and it's not without reason, internet censorship is a very frightening reality for those of us who are aware of this fact.

Also, the filter will just be ineffective and useless.
It will impact their customers. For example -connection speeds.
And assuredly lead to its own slew of technical issues, making other tasks more difficult and time consuming (for the company)
For a simple URL filter, there are countless SIMPLE ways of bypassing it.
It's not protecting the innocent from these websites, because if they're not looking for it they likely won't find it, in my personal experience I've never come across websites of that nature. And as I said, if they were looking for it they could get there with ease.
I'd hazard a guess and say that most of that material would be shared via Peer to Peer distribution, but that's merely speculation because I don't know shit about it.

Which leads me to my final point, and the reason I quoted you particularly, you are correct, it IS somebody's job to scour the internet and shut this shit down. I'm pretty sure there are people working on that day in and day out. I think the main problem they have is jurisdiction, although I'm not aware off the top of my head of any countries who do allow the abuse of minors, you know, outside of America's wars (BURN!...)
I jest, I jest. No seriously that was a rather dark joke, my sincere apologies America.

A mandatory internet filter is just not feasible, it's a waste of time, money and resources, not to mention it disadvantages both the consumer and the company itself. I do find it odd that the government scheme got shut down after mass outcry and then 12 months later ISPs turn around and try to pull this shit anyway with Mr. Conroy standing behind them. I'm so sick of our politicians, they're all fucking atrocious at their jobs, wish they'd throw some of their phat lewts our way instead of trying to tax the absoulute FUCK out of us to support their dodgy schemes.

I'm just depressed because the cost of living in this country is going up, up, up and the little people are taking it from every direction right now.

 

[Smooth Operator]

So wait....Stopping people from looking up child porn is bad? Now i may not be a genius but last i checked child porn is a horrible thing and if that is what they are blocking i am all for it.

That's what their sales pitch was, the truth is these guys just got the legal right to circumvent freedom of speech, so whatever they wont like will be censored and they got every right to do so, that is the sort of shit they pull in China.

This is what these internetz vigilantes are good for, is freedom can only be kept with anarchy then so be it.

 

[Awexsome]

So wait....Stopping people from looking up child porn is bad? Now i may not be a genius but last i checked child porn is a horrible thing and if that is what they are blocking i am all for it.

That's what their sales pitch was, the truth is these guys just got the legal right to circumvent freedom of speech, so whatever they wont like will be censored and they got every right to do so, that is the sort of shit they pull in China.

This is what these internetz vigilantes are good for, is freedom can only be kept with anarchy then so be it.

That's an awfully big jump to make from censoring child porn to the destruction of freedom of speech.

Australia does have a bad track record when it comes to what to censor and what not to but that doesn't mean they're never right. Until they actually try block some questionable things I'm not going to assume that's their grand master plan.

And the internet vigilantes? If this lulzsec abomination is what comes of Anarchy then you'd have to be right fucked in the head to consider that your best option.

 

[marfin_]

I would like for the websites that Telstra says it will ban to actually be blocked because that is just sick, but alas it should be up to the individual to make those choices and as we all know give a mouse a cookie and....

 

[Chibz]

So wait....Stopping people from looking up child porn is bad? Now i may not be a genius but last i checked child porn is a horrible thing and if that is what they are blocking i am all for it.

Did you know that porn featuring flat or small-breasted women actually counts as CP in Australia regardless of the woman's actual age? No really, despite being absolutely ridiculous it's true. So apparently for me to be photographed nude would be as bad as to photograph some five year old nude. Thanks, Australia. Thanks.

Australia does have a bad track record when it comes to what to censor and what not to but that doesn't mean they're never right.

Questionable track record? Look at my above point. Australia is outright AWFUL at determining what should be censored or not! I can't think of a developed nation that's WORSE at it.

 

[Smooth Operator]

So wait....Stopping people from looking up child porn is bad? Now i may not be a genius but last i checked child porn is a horrible thing and if that is what they are blocking i am all for it.

That's what their sales pitch was, the truth is these guys just got the legal right to circumvent freedom of speech, so whatever they wont like will be censored and they got every right to do so, that is the sort of shit they pull in China.

This is what these internetz vigilantes are good for, is freedom can only be kept with anarchy then so be it.

That's an awfully big jump to make from censoring child porn to the destruction of freedom of speech.

Australia does have a bad track record when it comes to what to censor and what not to but that doesn't mean they're never right. Until they actually try block some questionable things I'm not going to assume that's their grand master plan.

They are abusing lack of laws on games to censor everything they don't like yet you find giving them an actual legal right to censor internet is not objectionable?

And the internet vigilantes? If this lulzsec abomination is what comes of Anarchy then you'd have to be right fucked in the head to consider that your best option.

Never said anarchy was the best option, just that it takes trolls to troll the trolls, and it takes a rabid dog to fight the rabid dogs.

 

[Awexsome]

So wait....Stopping people from looking up child porn is bad? Now i may not be a genius but last i checked child porn is a horrible thing and if that is what they are blocking i am all for it.

That's what their sales pitch was, the truth is these guys just got the legal right to circumvent freedom of speech, so whatever they wont like will be censored and they got every right to do so, that is the sort of shit they pull in China.

This is what these internetz vigilantes are good for, is freedom can only be kept with anarchy then so be it.

That's an awfully big jump to make from censoring child porn to the destruction of freedom of speech.

Australia does have a bad track record when it comes to what to censor and what not to but that doesn't mean they're never right. Until they actually try block some questionable things I'm not going to assume that's their grand master plan.

They are abusing lack of laws on games to censor everything they don't like yet you find giving them an actual legal right to censor internet is not objectionable?

Those were two different entities mind you.

The government and their ineptitude is what causes the games to be denied rating and effectively banned while the companies are the ones carrying out the internet censorship. Frankly if the companies started going too far with the censorship the government could actually stop it from happening.

I'm just seeing way too much being assumed from a couple bad moves by Australia to think they're going to go all Big Brother overnight.

 

[Chibz]

It isn?t. That stupid story is fake there?s no bane on small breast?s.

I'd like to believe you. Can you leave the thread & rejoin without misspelling 1st grade words? It really harms your credibility.

Breast size IS considered, and many laws in australia are beyond ridiculous.

You can't oppose something based on the argument that it might be abused because them you would oppose everything.

No, but do we have to tolerate something that is almost certain to be abused and actively harms anyone who tries to use the internet? (Via slow downs directly proportionate to the number of sites censored)

 

[Chibz]

Would you care to share some examples?

The law against loli/shota for one. Despite not being a huge fan of it myself, I don't see how such a law makes sense. SOMEONE THINK OF THE IMAGINARY CHILDREN!

Another one? Why no 18+ rating, australia?

Maybe it's because I'm so used to relatively uncensored media that australia seems like an intrusive nanny state. Maybe you just have to get burned repeatedly to not find sticking your hand in fire that painful.

How will it be abused? People keep saying that sites like Wiki Leaks will be blocked next (which I don't see as a bad thing) but they never say why. It?s ridiculous to just assume that the government will always overstep its boundaries.
Oh, and another thing you learn in first grade is that country names start with a capital letter.

How wouldn't it? Wiki leaks shouldn't be illegal. There's nothing innately illegal about the spread of information. Also... Why should we willingly hand the keys to our freedom to corrupt politicians? To do so is simply stupid at worse, short sighted at best.

Oh that is the biggest load of bullshit I?ve ever hear these aren?t persecuted minorities these are illegal website sites you have no right to look at it?s not the start of some oppressive nanny state. you can't oppose something based on the argument that it might be abused because then you would oppose everything.

Who is the government to tell me what non-illegal material I have the right to read or not? Seriously. Fudge that. If I want to read a white supremacist website then I would have the right to. Whether I would or not is irrelevant. The speech itself isn't illegal as it violates nobody else's rights.

Oh, and another thing you learn in first grade is that country names start with a capital letter.

Lastly, I refuse to capitalize the names of things I don't respect.

Spoiler: I'm just gonna leave this here

Chaotic Neutral is called the "Anarchist" or "Free Spirit" alignment. A character of this alignment is an individualist who follows his or her own heart, and generally shirks rules and traditions. Although they promote the ideals of freedom, it is their own freedom that comes first. Good and Evil come second to their need to be free, and the only reliable thing about them is how totally unreliable they are. Chaotic Neutral characters are free-spirited and do not enjoy the unnecessary suffering of others, but if they join a team, it is because that team's goals happen to coincide with their own at the moment. They invariably resent taking orders and can be very selfish in their pursuit of personal goals. A Chaotic Neutral character does not have to be an aimless wanderer; they may have a specific goal in mind, but their methods of achieving that goal are often disorganized, unorthodox, or entirely unpredictable.

Captain Jack Sparrow, Al Swearengen from the TV series Deadwood, and Snake Plissken from Escape from New York are Chaotic Neutral

 

[Monsterfurby]

I'm still surprised so many ISPs go along with this. What's the incentive? I mean, just add 1+1 and you will see that those not doing it might actually pull some customers from those doing it.

 

[Chibz]

Clearly you?ve never seen our TV shows. We?re hardly a nanny state.

I'm currently reading on australian TV. Seems pretty censored to me, albeit because of the restrictions of what can be shown and when. Man, looking up info on censorship in australia makes me think fonder thoughts of the rating systems we have up here...

Found my source. The type of videos I spoke of aren't explicitly banned (despite certain groups' best efforts) but were rather in their own classification category and...

I can't read this page anymore. I vomited in my mouth a little from it. (Not THIS page, another one).

I'm still surprised so many ISPs go along with this. What's the incentive? I mean, just add 1+1 and you will see that those not doing it might actually pull some customers from those doing it.

Not doing it would actually allow you to provide an overall faster service to your customers, too!

 

[Creator002]

Wow. I never imagined Anonymous having this kind of impact. This is good. If Tesltra is too scared of them to put the filter into action, I guess I'll be switching to them later this year...

WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! DO NOT DO THAT!

Unless you WANT to be blatantly ripped off for every byte of data that you download and upload and you like putting up with the shittiest unmetered gaming servers in the world!

Ha ha.[footnote]Not laughing at you, just that what you said seemed funny to me. [/footnote]

What ISP do you recommend then? Optus has been completely shit this year, but being on ADSL2+ might be the problem.
I'm planning on seeing who can get me the better deal on a cable connection, but still my question stands. What do you recommend?

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

What ISP do you recommend then? Optus has been completely shit this year, but being on ADSL2+ might be the problem.
I'm planning on seeing who can get me the better deal on a cable connection, but still my question stands. What do you recommend?

Cable? Until the NBN rolls through your area you've got 2 choices - Optus or Telstra. Telstra has better speeds, Optus has bigger range of usage caps... and neither is what you'd call cheap unless you're willing to bundle a home phone and mobile package with it.

Oh, and try to get free installation because that sure as fuck isn't cheap.

 

[ineedscissors]

Yay, go anon! All though trying to fight child pornography is a noble goal, censoring the internet is a slippery slope, and it's good to see that it is being actively opposed by a group with considerable force in the internet community.