Australian Government to censor the internet!

On to the topic of free speech and censorship: you guys might find the Australian governments plans for mandatory internet filtering (at the ISP level) as disgusting and draconian as I do.

The premise is to have a filter for children so they're not exposed to certain websites - however the government is also using this to install an additional mandatory filter that cannot be removed. They're speaking in ambiguous terms when they talk about what sites will be banned, including "sites that incite illegal activities". It will certainly include whatever illegal sites they can filter, so say bye bye to all your torrents and rapidshare links - porn and stealing music is evil remember. There is word the filter may extend to information on illegal drugs, euthanasia and various levels of (legal) pornography that are considered indecent.

In reality there will be nothing from stopping the government restricting indepedent media sources encouraging protests and generally controlling the flow of information into this country - as no one within the fucking public citzenry will have any visibility as to what has or hasnt been banned. Whats more this is posed to effectively kill the underground music and porn industries - do you really think that the government is going to approve of some of the extreme music we listen to? Anal Cunt? Pig Destroyer? Bongzilla? What about horror films and violent computer games? What else could be deemed "inappropriate" by a bunch of 65 year old men?

I'm sure glad we be live in a society where we are clearly not thought of as responsible enough to gather information and make our own intelligent, informed decisions regarding issues like illegal drugs, porn and euthanasia. Forget that such a system undermines the entire premise of a democracy. Oh what a progressive country we are; what a bastion of freedom of speech.

At what point did the Australian government think that joining the ranks of Yemen, Burma, Pakistan, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran and China with internet censorship was a good idea? We will most certainly be the only first world country to do so. If you're even half as outraged as I am, follow the link below and stop these morons from implementing mandatory censoring the internet. There are few phrases to describe how sickened I am.

Oh and tell them to guarantee freedom of speech and expression while you're at it.

In 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Article 19 affirms the right to free speech (which has not been ratified by the Australian government): "Article 19. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

Learn more and learn how you can voice your anger: http://www.nocleanfeed.com/

Read the latest updates on the issue here: http://blog.nocleanfeed.com/

Facebook group with a further examination of possible side-effects; various petitions