Aussie Porn Filter: Now You See it, Now You Don’t

AUSTRALIA—No one knows more than the Australians about the pros-and-cons of internet filtering. For over a decade, the nation has been debating whether or not to install mandatory ISP-level filters to deal with porn and other controversial content. Amazingly, however, the government is apparently still in a state of confusion about where it stands on the issue, which, to be fair, may be the fault of their British cousins, who have embraced internet filtering as if it is the Holy Grail of child protection. Today was one for the Australian record books, however. Within a 12-hour period, the government did a complete about-face on the issue of implementing mandatory opt-out porn filters for home WIFI and smartphones owned by individuals under 18. This morning, according to the Guardian, “The Coalition said ‘adult content’ would be filtered out, though it did not define such content. The policy document referenced the UK filter – in the process of being introduced – which is focused on blocking porn websites as well as illegal images.” By Thursday evening, however, that plan had already been scrapped. “Malcolm Turnbull, the shadow communications minister, tweeted on Thursday evening: ‘Policy released today wrongly indicated we supported an opt out system of internet filtering. That is not our policy and never has been,’” corrected the Guardian. Turnbull added later, “The Coalition has never supported mandatory internet filtering. Indeed, we have a long record of opposing it. The policy which was issued today was poorly worded and incorrectly indicated that the Coalition supported an ‘opt out’ system of internet filtering for both mobile and fixed line services. That is not our policy and never has been.” The actual policy, he said, was to encourage mobile and internet providers to “make available software which parents can choose to install on their own devices to protect their children from inappropriate material.” The question now is, can Trumbull be believed in the run-up to the federal elections?