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| Thread ID: 91532 | 2008-07-10 02:55:00 | TelstraClear blocking users from certain websites | shermo (12739) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 687241 | 2008-07-10 02:55:00 | . scoop . co . nz/stories/PO0807/S00143 . htm" target="_blank">www . scoop . co . nz A lengthy letter to head of Consumer Sales at Telstra Clear . TL : DR etc yes yes . Dear Steve Jackson I'm writing to express my concern over TelstraClear's introduction of website filtering . I believe this sets a disturbing precedent for the continuing provision of internet services by TelstraClear . An ISP's role is not to regulate what I can use my internet connection for . An ISP's role is to provide me with an internet connection, which TelstraClear has been excellent at doing . The aim of 'stopping objectionable practices' is a noble one . However, problems soon become apparent when one considers that my interpretation of objectionable behaviour is undoubtedly different from TelstraClear's interpretation . The logical conclusion to this line of reasoning, is that at some point in the future when I want to use my internet connection for something, TelstraClear will decide that it knows best, and stop me from so doing . This quote from David Lane (Director of Society For Promotion Of Community Standards Inc . ) is particularly disturbing: " . . . [The society] 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 secion 3(2)(a-f) of the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act 1993 (sexual violence, bestiality, etc) . " . It illustrates the problem rather well . I have used the internet for pornography, and I don’t expect to be blocked from doing so in the future . If I look at pornography more hardcore than the limits imposed on free-to-air television, this doesn’t make my behaviour ‘wrong’, and I certainly don’t expect TelstraClear to impose its standards on my behaviour . If I do something illegal, then that’s relevant for the Police, not a coporation . Additionally, the concept that a list maintained by the Internal Affairs Office will be capable of cataloguing all objectionable sites on the internet is flawed if not outright hilarious . There are various software packages available which attempt to keep the internet ‘safe’ for younger users . I am sure that, combined with actual parenting, these tools are far better suited to keeping children from accessing inappropriate content . I should take this moment to clarify that my primary concern is not that I may soon be unable to access pornography with my TelstraClear account . Instead, I believe that once this form of filtering has been introduced for one honourable reason, it will only be a matter of time before the practice of filtering is extended to other aspects of the internet . It is widely publicized (although not necessarily accurate) that ‘peer to peer’ (p2p) services consume a disproportionate amount of bandwidth accross the internet as a whole . I extend from this assumption that some time in the future TelstraClear may be in favour of blocking p2p services in order to extract more customers from the same amount of bandwidth . This would have a real and noticeable affect on my internet behaviour . There are other scenarios in which TelstraClear might decide to filter my internet use . For example, I’m sure TelstraClear wants to retain their customers, and so logically it would be a sensible idea to block all competing ISP’s websites . Or, if there is a damning report about TelstraClear on a news website, it would be very easy to block any user from accessing that website . I’m not suggesting that TelstraClear does or would do any of these measures, but the only way I can be certain of this is for TelstraClear not to regulate my internet behaviour in any way . The knee-jerk reaction to this news would be for me to cancel my TelstraClear account . Instead I’m going to post this letter on a few popular NZ forums, and raise general public awareness of TelstraClear’s actions . I will continue to closely monitor TelstraClear’s actions, and may switch ISPs if it continues with this course of action . Yours Sincerely |
shermo (12739) | ||
| 687242 | 2008-07-10 02:59:00 | They've blocked sites that have child porn. Good on them. Telstraclear haven't said they're planning to block any other sites, you should be addressing this to Society For Promotion Of Community Standards Inc. | the_bogan (9949) | ||
| 687243 | 2008-07-10 05:35:00 | Well said Shermo, I agree wholeheartedly. However, perhaps TelstraClear are doing this to avoid the possibility of law suits against themselves for allowing access to these sites. Who knows what laws are in the pipeline? they may be being pro-active. |
theother1 (3573) | ||
| 687244 | 2008-07-10 05:38:00 | Shermo ! You use p2p sites ? | Digby (677) | ||
| 687245 | 2008-07-10 05:44:00 | Well said Shermo, I agree wholeheartedly. However, perhaps TelstraClear are doing this to avoid the possibility of law suits against themselves for allowing access to these sites. Who knows what laws are in the pipeline? they may be being pro-active. I suspect you're right. However, the reason I wrote to Clear, instead of the Internal Affairs Department, is that they were the first ISP to comply with this, and I want to use this opportunity to convince them that customers don't want this. (This may not be true, I'm only sure about myself). Ultimately, I expect that a large corporation motivated by profits will have a greater ability to resist new laws than one crackpot (myself) writing to my local MP. It's a sad democracy if this is the, but I have received much more feedback from writing to businesses than government bodies. |
shermo (12739) | ||
| 687246 | 2008-07-10 05:44:00 | Well said Shermo, I agree wholeheartedly . However, perhaps TelstraClear are doing this to avoid the possibility of law suits against themselves for allowing access to these sites . Who knows what laws are in the pipeline? they may be being pro-active . :thumbs: Blocking Child Porn - very good . But it can be taken too far . People have a right to look at whatever disgusting things they wish . |
wratterus (105) | ||
| 687247 | 2008-07-10 05:45:00 | Shermo ! You use p2p sites ? Only for legal stuff, honest >< Actually, it's about 50-50. But meh |
shermo (12739) | ||
| 687248 | 2008-07-10 05:56:00 | Only for legal stuff, honest >< Actually, it's about 50-50. But meh I wouldn't say that on a public forum, considering your name will be known to the executives once they have read the mail (that's it, if they do). |
Renmoo (66) | ||
| 687249 | 2008-07-10 06:16:00 | I don't have anything to fear from claiming to have at some point in the past done something vaguely illegal . If I came on here and claimed to have stolen 'a car', it wouldn't make it any more or less true . Enough distractions anyway, if you wish to continue PM me . |
shermo (12739) | ||
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