Claimed blacklist spreads on internet

in brief Internet users have started replicating and publishing a list which its anonymous leakers had claimed was the list of banned websites in Australia used by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

At least one popular anonymous file sharing site and one blog seen by ZDNet.com.au today had started hosting a copy of the list, increasing its availability. Wikileaks, the site which first published the list this afternoon, appeared to be experiencing congestion.

The list was originally believed to be the ACMA blacklist, but Communications Minister Stephen Conroy issued a statement within the last hour or so which said it was not, despite having some URLs in common.

Conroy has also condemned the leaking of the list, threatening criminal prosecution to the person who originally made it public.

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Senator Fail it Anonymous -- 19/03/09

"Conroy has also condemned the leaking of the list, threatening criminal prosecution to the person who originally made it public."

Criminal prosecution for publicizing the fake, non- government list ?

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

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It will be abused Anonymous -- 19/03/09 (in reply to #320126148)

Remember, this is the same guy, who says it's illegal to post a link to a site that is on the list, whose contents you're not allowed to know.

Whole thing is a dark time for democracy in Australia.

We have to assume the power will be abused. How can we not? History tells us governments always take advantage of whatever power they get. To allow unchecked, non transparent censorship, with no form of appeal, no checks and balances, and something that conroy says, is only accessible to one person. How can anyone thing this is a good idea?

We have to assume if it will be abused, and we can not as citizens accept censorships on the biggest form of mass communication.

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Does Kevin Rudd admire China? Andrew -- 20/03/09

If so, that is okay in some areas. But if he admires the Chinese government for their ironfisted control of their people, even slightly, then this is of grave concern for us, the general public of Australia. And how could this move toward Internet censorship in Australia proceed without Rudd's approval? The blatant lack of respect for public opinion, the threats of prosecution, these things are very worrying, because they remind us of repressive regimes such as China. Let no one imagine that our democracy is so robust that it does not need constant nurturing. We neglect our civil freedoms at our peril.

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Authoritarianism vs libertarianism Anonymous -- 21/03/09 (in reply to #320126252)

Judging from the reactions on all the blogs, KRudd is onto a major vote loser here. Polls have shown in excess of 90% of the general population don't want unaccountable and unappeal-able censorship of the Internet. The important difference with China is that this IS a democratic country. So Labor will get duly voted out come next election. A large number of people have said they will be prepared to vote Liberal for the first time in their lives to drop these Puritan control freaks into the dustbin of political history where they belong.

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