D Wednesday, December 16, 2009 METRO Censorship fears over Oz internet filterAUSTRALIA plans to introduce an in- ternet filtering system to block obscene and crime-linked websites despite con- cerns it will curtail freedoms and wont completely work. Adopting a mandatory screening sys- tem would make Australia one of the strictest internet regulators among the worlds democracies. Canberra said yesterday it will intro- duce legislation next year for the filter system to help protect Australians, espe- cially children, from harmful material on the internet. But critics say it will not prevent deter- mined users from sharing such content, and could lead to unwarranted censor- ship by overzealous officials. Communication Minister Stephen Conroy said the government would be transparent in compiling its blacklist of websites, but did not give details. Mr Conroy said the filter was among a number of new measures aimed at strengthening online protection for fami- lies. It aims to block material such as child pornography, bestiality, rape and other sexual violence, along with de- tailed instructions about committing ter- rorism, crime or using illicit drugs. Such material is already banned from publication on Australian sites, but the government currently has no control over it being accessed on servers based overseas. But Mr Conroy conceded it may not be completely successful, saying: The gov- ernment has always maintained there is no silver-bullet solution to cyber-safety. Colin Jacobs, of Electronic Frontiers Australia, a non-profit group that seeks to promote online freedom, said: The government knows this plan will not help Australian kids, nor will it aid in the policing of prohibited material. The group is concerned the blacklist of sites to be blocked by the filter and the reasons for doing so would be kept se- cret, opening the possibility that legiti- mate sites might also be censored. by ROHAN SULLIVAN index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html