While this site was originally intended to focus mostly on the U.S., I often find stories of interest coming out of the UK and Australia and will post about them. I have increasingly come across news items out of Australia that have alarming implications for freedom of expression over the internet.
Of particular interest are stories about a government plan to filter all internet communications into Australia. This proposal has struck such fear into civil liberties groups, that you can’t escape warnings and discussions about it if you access any Australian site that focuses on the internet, civil liberties, or the kind of content that is likely to be targeted.
The implications are enormous because it suggests that Western democracies are heading down the same path as oppressive governments like China, Iran, and North Korea. To frame this as a contest between democracy and totalitarianism or between East and West would be a mistake. The free flow of information is perceived as a threat to any government regardless of its structure or geographic location. Western democracies have, at times, proven to be just as ruthless in trying to supress public dissent as Soviet block countries. While controlling child porn might be the leverage a government uses to pass legislation permitting control over the internet, it is an absolute certainty that once they have control, their focus will be perpetually broadened.
You can be sure I will follow the moral panic that seems to be consuming Australia and post on it periodically.