Press Release 10 July 2008
The Society applauds TelstraClear management for its announcement today that it will block access to all internet websites identified by the Internal Affairs Department as hosting child porn.
The Society executive director, David Lane, says "the Society has been calling for some years for such a system to be made compulsory for all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and is delighted that at long last Internal Affairs has made some real progress. However, the Society wants the system adopted by all ISPs as soon as possible and wants the filtering extended beyond child porn content to include the blocking of all hard core pornographty sites and those promoting "objectionable" content defined in section 3(2)(a-f) of the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act 1993 (sexual violence, bestiality, etc).".
The TelstraClear block takes effect today and TelstraClear – which has more than 230,000 broadband customers – was invited to join the website filtering system by the Department following extensive trialling of a "clean feed" system. Other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will be invited to join, once the system, which is still being tested, is refined.
Statistics showed that up to 90 per cent of 8-16-year olds had viewed adult content, including hardcore pornography, while researching for homework (Dom Post 10/7/08).
See Society’s most recent call for ISP blocks 13 Nov 2007
https://www.spcs.org.nz/2007/society-applauds-dia-trialling-of-blocks-on-child-porn-by-isps/
The existence of the society for the promotion of community standards and the obnoxious tripe it spouts justifies the suppression of free speech and religious freedom by the state in this country. Giving certain individuals the right to speak their mind, let alone form an opinion, is like handing out firearms to children.
Obviously you people have never heard of ‘tunneling’ protocols like Torpark or even the anonymous public proxies routinely used to circumvent such censorship (until recently mainly practised by the Chinese). I can assure you any slightly savvy 15 year-old has. Anyone who seriously wants to can easily circumvent this kind of filtering technology and everyone who believes in free speech should. This kind of thing is just a sop provided by cynical companies to give technically ignorant parents a false sense of security. If you really want to protect your children from the evils of the world, try communicating with them for a change.