Labor backs ‘clean feed’ internet services
A petition has been tabled in the Senate calling for a ‘clean feed’ internet service to households which would block access to pornographic and other websites.
Labor spokesman Stephen Conroy said: “In March, Kim Beazley announced that a Labor Government would require all Internet Service Providers to offer a ‘clean feed ‘ internet service to all households, schools and public libraries that would block access to websites identified as containing child pornography, acts of extreme violence and x-rated material.
“In the Senate this week, I tabled a petition signed by more than 20,000 Australians endorsing Labor’s policy.
“This petition was circulated after the Government announced in June that it would offer households PC-based filters for installation on home computers.
“Labor supports this initiative but the fact is that it does not go far enough.
“Two-thirds of households do not have any filtering software installed on their home computers.
“Labor believes that the Government should do everything within its power to protect our kids from exposure to damaging internet content
“The petition that I tabled clearly shows that this view is widely shared in the Australian community.”
Senator Conroy said that as a result of the existing complaints system, the Internet regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority had identified thousands of internet websites containing illegal content such as child pornography that are hosted overseas-based websites.
“The technology is available that would allow access to these websites to be blocked in every Australian household,” he said.
“This technology is already in use in countries like Britain, Sweden and Norway.”
