Australian Govt. delays controversial web filtering plan

CANBERRA - The Australian government is delaying the implementation of controversial web filtering and will wait until a review of refused classification requirement is done.

According to The Australian, if Labor wins the upcoming election to be held in the coming months, this could see a 2012 start date for the controversial plan, which was introduced by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd prior to the 2007 federal election.

The review into transparency and accountability measures into RC categories will take one year to be completed.

Legislation will then be introduced to require all ISPs to filter the RC content list. Once the legislation has been passed, implementing the web filter plan would take another 12 months, the paper said.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy clarified that the purpose of the review is to ensure that material included in the RC category “correctly reflects current community standards”.

Gillard, who backs the filtering plan, said that she understands public concerns over the scheme and Senator Conroy was working to find a resolution that would be in the “right shape”.

To assess the review, three of Australia’s largest ISPs- Telstra, Optus and Primus have agreed to block a list of child abuse URLs compiled by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the paper said.

Earlier, the filter had been opposed by US Ambassador to Australia, Jeff Bleich, who urged the government to ditch the plan, saying child pornographers could be captured and prosecuted without using mandatory internet filters, it added. (ANI)