Information Society Watch

December 31, 2007, Phil Mercer, BBC News

The article reports on the recent move by the Australian government to force Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to have mandatory filters in place to block content deemed inappropriate for children. The plan in its current form has its critics, who regard it as an infringement on freedom of speech. The plan throws up interesting questions regarding censorship. Unfettered access to the Internet comes with its own share of negatives, which in this case is exposure of the unsavoury sites to minors. The Australian case thus may be a watershed in determining the course of censorship and the nature of access to the Internet.

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