Interwebz censorship

China had been censoring the Internet for decades, and being criticized for it. See also the recent withdrawal of Google from China, as it refuses to filter its search results any longer.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Myanmar, Iran, Pakistan, Cuba, North Korea, etc , there are quite a few countries doing it. But these countries are not considered to be free, democratic & enlightened, are they?
But... most of Europe censors internet, the US, Canada, most countries censor try to have some content blocked. The main difference is that in most countries considered to be free, the filter is non-mandatory for USPs, and the sites blocked break Laws.

Now Australia is experimenting with a mutiple Million dollar webfilter. And they intend to block more than just illegal content. Pornography of woman with small breasts is an example. Its 100% legal, but as it might be confused with something illegal (child pornography) its best to ban it anyway, right?
WRONG!!! without hard rules to govern a filter, it can (and thus invariably will) be abused. The absence of hard rules allows the than dominant opinion bearer to stifle any other opinions. And the Nets greatest achievement was in fact the variety of opinions that could be found, mixing & coexisting.
Progress will be retarded, freedom will be lost, people will be persecuted for their opinions...

Take an example: Up to a bit more than a decade ago (1996), Gay people were persecuted in certain parts of Australia. Now dont get me wrong, Im not saying that Australians are backward or homophobes. Just that public opinion can change quite rapidly, and something which is now considered the most normal thing in the world (womans right to vote, the right of consenting adults to make love to each other) has a few short years ago been something people had to fight for.
Censorship is one of the main tools to stifle those types of progress. Therefore its used mainly by regimes which actively try to maintain the status quo, if necessary with force.
Im very disappointed that an an enlightened country like Australia would even consider setting such a dangerous precedent.



People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.