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Media Release |
Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc.
Media Release December 14th 1997 AUSTRALIA GOES IT ALONE ON NET CENSORSHIP Electronic Frontiers Australia today slammed the decision of State and Federal Attorneys-General to push ahead with unpopular Internet censorship laws. Despite widespread industry criticism, the Attorneys-General still propose to make Australian service providers responsible for overseas content and the actions of their customers. "This is the equivalent of making Telstra and Optus responsible for the content of people's telephone calls", said EFA Chairman Kimberley Heitman. Last year EFA was leaked a copy of draft legislation, which led to a national campaign by Internet users and civil libertarians, culminating in a protest march on NSW Parliament. That legislation was postponed at the request of Senator Alston, the Minister for Communications, and it is understood that Senator Alston's department is afraid that Internet censorship laws may cause damage to Australia's fledgling information technology industry. "The United States and even Malaysia have given up trying to censor the Internet", said Heitman. "It does no good locking up Australian ISPs when contentious material can be stored anywhere in the world. Australia is behind the rest of the world in coming to terms with the Internet, and attempts to censor it will make Australia an international laughing-stock." ENDS -------------------------------------------------------------- Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc -- http://www.efa.org.au/ representing Internet users concerned with on-line freedoms -------------------------------------------------------------- Media Contacts Kimberley Heitman Phone: 08 9458 2790 Email: [email protected] Danny Yee Phone (home): 02 9955 9898 Phone (work): 02 9351 5159 Email: [email protected] -------------------------------------------------------------- BACKGROUND Australian Financial Review story http://www.afr.com.au/content/971213/inform/inform6.html Last years censorship proposals - the leaked draft and responses http://www.efa.org.au/Publish/Welcome.html#prim
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Copyright © 1997 Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc.