Committee Formed To Scrutinize Australia's Web Censorship Law 24
Bismillah (993337) writes A government inquiry has been launched into whether or not Australian authorities are using Section 313 of the Telecommunications Act inappropriately. Last year, the Australian securities watchdog used Section 313 powers to force ISPs to block a quarter of a million web sites — in order to prevent access to just 1,200 sites the authority deemed harmful.
From the inquiry page: "How law enforcement agencies use section 313 to request the disruption of such services is an important public policy question. Section 313 is also used for other purposes, but the Committee will inquire solely into and report on government agency use of section 313 for the purpose of disrupting illegal online services. The Committee invites interested persons and organizations to make submissions addressing the terms of reference by Friday 22 August 2014."
Surprised it didn't happen earlier (Score:5, Informative)
I remember the first news stories about this blocking system - how a dentist had his practice's website blocked, supposedly for hosting child pornography, when in reality his website was blocked because it happened to be hosted by a provider who also had a client that may or may not have hosted CP (it was never made clear whether the government ever actually found anything). The whole thing sounded like a witch hunt for things that may not have even been there in the first place in the name of "protecting the children".
Australia is getting new security laws (Score:5, Informative)
News Corp and media union warn over crackdown on spy reporting (17 July 2014)
http://www.theguardian.com/wor... [theguardian.com]
Journalists will face jail over spy leaks under new security laws (16 July 2014)
http://www.theguardian.com/wor... [theguardian.com]
Welcome to a few years in jail for “any person” who disclosed information relating to “special intelligence operations”
ie no subsequent disclosure by the press.
ASIO (comparable to MI5) and ASIS (equivalent to CIA or MI6) also get new powers eg power to access a third party's computer.
Dont worry its only for very "very limited circumstances". You can still enjoy freedom of discussion and Australia will "believe very strongly in freedom of speech and freedom of the press". You just wont be able to find digital discussions, if you start the wrong discussion or comment your computer might be a security threat. No more Snowden links? No more links to digital discussions about Snowden that might link to Snowden materials?