Australia Delays Internet Filter To Review Content

Australia has put its Internet-filtering system on hold for 12 months while it reviews the specific content to be blocked. If a mandatory filter is passed into law, it would make Australia one of the strictest Internet regulators among the world's democracies. Critics say the filter would put the nation in the same censorship league as China.

Australia's widely criticized proposal to mandate a filter blocking child pornography and other objectionable Internet content has been delayed at least a year so the government can review what content should be restricted.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said Friday a 12-month review would begin this year into the filter, which would force all Australian ISPs to block a regularly updated list of Web sites.

If a mandatory filter is passed into law, it would make Australia one of the strictest Internet regulators among the world's democracies. Some critics have said the proposed filter would put the nation in the same censorship league as China.

http://www.toptechnews.com/news/Australia-Delays-Internet-Filter-Use/story.xhtml?story_id=0310033AGAEW