WoodDragon Posted November 18, 2008 Just a heads-up. I caught a few minutes of 'Australia Talks' on Radio National today, and the topic was the introduction of filters at the ISP point to block 'undesirable' content. There seemed to be much focus on the rudie-nudie stuff, which is understandable, but in a discussion of other potential targets Erowid was mentioned. Somewhat surprisingly it was Clive Hamilton who was pushing the barrow. If Erowid is up for blocking, what else would follow? The mpeg and transcript will be up on Radio National's "Australia Talks" site soon here for anyone who is interested. I'm not sure how much merit to ascribe to the comment, but it seemed to fly under the radar as a fait accompli. I can see that this could have serious implications for genuine and legitimate ethnobotanic/entheogenic content on the intertubes, and it might be something that others here would be concerned about also. Thought I'd mention it just so that everyone knows what is happening in some of the corridors. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark80 Posted November 18, 2008 Just a heads-up.I caught a few minutes of 'Australia Talks' on Radio National today, and the topic was the introduction of filters at the ISP point to block 'undesirable' content. There seemed to be much focus on the rudie-nudie stuff, which is understandable, No its fucking not! It is not acceptable to ban pornography. It is more understable to ban ethagenon forums than it is ban nuidty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MindExpansion Posted November 18, 2008 As much as it is bullshit to ban anything, I agree, that it is not acceptable to ban pornography, there is no valid reason for it. Peace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodDragon Posted November 18, 2008 The program's issue was with extreme hardcore and illegal stuff, which is understandable in the context of easy access by children. Whether it's acceptable to ban it was not really the point of my earlier post. This is why I was perturbed that Erowid came up in the conversation - I think that informed ethnobotanical/entheogenic practise is much better than uninformed blundering, at least where the mind-altering aspect of ethnobotany is concerned, and for censors to put it in the same category as kiddie/animal shit is to conflate very disparate issues. I for one wouldn't be signing up to ban Erowid ahead of getting rid of hardcore kiddie garbage. Banning sites like Erowid is pretty much akin to banning sex education - the end result is that it all still happens, but with more ignorance than might otherwise occur. Don't get me wrong, I am all for shining a bit of sun on the skin, but to hide potentially life-saving ethno information should be done with greater care than seems to be in train. After all, where is the evidence that sites such as Erowid and this forum result in greater harm than good? What of informed choice, intellectual freedom and cultural respect? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blog Posted November 18, 2008 Don't get me wrong, I am all for shining a bit of sun on the skin, but to hide potentially life-saving ethno information should be done with greater care than seems to be in train. After all, where is the evidence that sites such as Erowid and this forum result in greater harm than good? What of informed choice, intellectual freedom and cultural respect? The problem is that if you used a webspider to download erowid, or even this site. The police raided you for whatever reason, took away your computer as often is done in raids these days. You would likely have multiple charges brought against you. Material on this website is illegal, certainly material on Erowid is illegal. So it wouldn't be so much showing a discrimination or bias against sites & the information contained within, but censoring of illegal content. And at LEAST, that's what this mandatory filter will do. The drug laws only seem to cover information pertaining to producing drugs, but any instruction in drug use is banned material in Australia. Publishing or possessing instructions for producing dangerous drugs (1) A person who unlawfully publishes instructions, or unlawfully has possession of a document containing instructions, about the way to produce a dangerous drug commits a crime. s 9 16 s 9 Drugs Misuse Act 1986 Maximum penalty— (a) if the dangerous drug to which the instructions relate is a thing specified in the Drugs Misuse Regulation 1987, schedule 1—25 years imprisonment; or ( if the dangerous drug to which the instructions relate is a thing specified in the Drugs Misuse Regulation 1987, schedule 2—20 years imprisonment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiral Posted November 18, 2008 People need to know more about their computers..Turn off the cache..use full security as in don't have your computer remember even the last page you where at, delete all cookies continuously. Delete all your downloads and KNOW where they go so you can find them. KNOW your computer and please take the time to keep it clean..there is no stronger evidence that a PC full of shit that you forgot about. Ignorance is no defence in a court room when the Barrister shows the judge all the copies of the pages you have on your PC...CLEAN YOUR PC UP NOW AND DO IT AS A DAILY RITUAL....! Do not give these people ammunition to bang you up..you need to be methodical and extremely careful. IGNORANCE IS NO DEFENCE. As far as I know its not illegal to read site like EROWID...but your long IP Address will be seen and this can be used as evidence against you. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND KNOW YOUR COMPUTER. H. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thelema Posted November 19, 2008 It's time to start self-censoring objectionable material then. SAB has to stop all drug-production and ethno-manufacturing type questions. Begin a dialogue already with gnmt. to show that steps are being taken to comply...otherwise:BAM right in the kisser, and the only memory of SAB will be if a dump is taken of the whole history of the forum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiral Posted November 19, 2008 How the hell would you censor "You tube"...there is some fully sick drugged out shite on there ...how the fuck would a filter work on that....! It's time to start self-censoring objectionable material then. SAB has to stop all drug-production and ethno-manufacturing type questions. Begin a dialogue already with gnmt. to show that steps are being taken to comply...otherwise:BAM right in the kisser, and the only memory of SAB will be if a dump is taken of the whole history of the forum. I agree to some extent...but at this stage I'd say slightly paranoid..hope it never comes to whats proposed...Ill be catchin the boat back to the motherland if it does... mmmmmmmm fairy rings in Wales...climbing mount Snowden and picking some huge bags of fairy ring goodness... H. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garbage Posted November 19, 2008 Never in the history of the internet have their been as many self appointed censors as now. It's simply the Politico's attempting to remain relevent by insert their own ideologists across the Internet,and administering their own hubris. After all they treat Paedo's with kidgloves,no arrests and no charges,data sealed for 100 years etc. An extension of "Sexing it up",a policy used in an attempt to condition and control. Most people despise those sorts. The Paedophile is their strawman. Do you despise those who claim a right to rule and tax because they wield an army of strawman arguments? Behind every strawman argument is an implied threat. Strawman arguments within politics are used extensively by terroristic minorities. Minorities whose electoral footprint is so small they were in the past simply used to stall and hijack rational debate. Rational debate became subverted and excluded from politics some time ago,now representatives actively attack the majority of their constituents. The freedom to impart ideas exposes them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Griffin... Posted November 22, 2008 Needs to be sorted... In the name of Science and Religion Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blog Posted November 22, 2008 (edited) How the hell would you censor "You tube"...there is some fully sick drugged out shite on there ...how the fuck would a filter work on that....! That is a great example. I can't see the government banning actual URL's, say the link to a particular youtube video, more likely they'd just ban youtube. But imagine the political ramifications of doing that. Hopefully they stick it in the 'too hard' basket & just forget about mandatory filters. Edited November 22, 2008 by blog Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garbage Posted November 22, 2008 Pornography war eh? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Garbage Posted November 22, 2008 Pornography war eh? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodDragon Posted November 26, 2008 I feel like a bit of a goose. This subject was covered in much greater detail in the "No opt-out web filtering" thread on 'News and Notices'. I didn't notice it until tonight - I've been away for a few weeks and I only just now caught up with the conversation about filters that was going on whilst I was gone. Sadly, I can't say that reading that thread made me feel any better about the issue. In spite of many people's opinions that filtering is a pretty useless exercise (and I reckon it is), the fact that the Bro is moving to formalise, in this case with a dirty great Trojan horse, what we can and can't 'see' is still something that gnaws at me. Where did my country go? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Spoons Posted November 30, 2008 If you're in NSW there is a protest against this internet filter in sydney on the 13th of december. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MindExpansion Posted November 30, 2008 Hey Spoons man, any more info on that? Peace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Spoons Posted November 30, 2008 Not sure who's organizing it but the word on the tubes is 13th December, 12pm (noon), Sydney Town Hall (Source:http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23nocleanfeed) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
