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Leaked: List of websites banned in Australia
by Scott Gilbreath ~ March 19th, 2009
The list of websites banned by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) was supposed to be a big secret. No more: The list was leaked to and posted at Wikileaks. ACMA responded by blacklisting the whistle-blower website. Any Australian internet site that links to Wikileaks risks a fine of A$11,000 per day.
Earlier this week, ACMA banned a graphic but legal anti-abortion website. With this latest, entirely predictable, fiasco, the whole censorship scheme is looking more foolish with each passing day.
A BUNGLED list of “banned websites” is not official, the Communications Minister says – but the matter might be referred to the Australian Federal Police.
“ACMA is investigating this matter and is considering a range of possible actions it may take including referral to the Australian Federal Police,” Senator Stephen Conroy said.
A dentist’s practice, a tuckshop convener and a kennel operator in Queensland have all been wrongly included on the list of websites to be censored.
The owners of the websites are furious their small businesses have been implicated on the list, which includes links to child pornography, rape, incest and bestiality websites.
ACMA insists that Australians caught linking to or otherwise distributing the ”secret” list could face criminal charges and up to ten years in prison.
h/t: Australian Politics
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March 20th, 2009 at 08:05 PM
[...] VERBOTEN STUPID– The first rule of censorship is that you cannot talk about censorship.. Leaked: List of [...]