The Labor Party went to the last election with a comprehensive plan for "cyber-safety" - that is, making the Internet safer for children. The centrepiece of this policy, and its most expensive component, is the controversial national ISP Internet filtering scheme, sometimes referred to as the "Conroy Curtain". Plans for this scheme are advancing, and a live ISP trial was supposed to begin before Christmas. But does the scheme really hold water as a cyber-safety measure, or does it have a different motivation?

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A recent study entitled "Filtering in Oz: Australia's Foray Into Internet Censorship" by Derek Bambauer of the Brooklyn Law School in New York examines the Rudd Government's upcoming Internet filtering plan and provides a thorough analysis of its legitimacy. This report is important - not only is it authored by a reputable and neutral foreign observer but it focuses more on the legitimacy of the scheme than the technical or other concerns, and highlights some serious problems.

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