Installation of these control facilities it is of limited use as many of these controls can be evaded by determined individuals with the appropriate skill but the majority of the community is precluded from accessing the information that the “net nanny”’ decides should not be viewed.

Freedom of information and freedom of expression is the cornerstone of our democratic system and restrictions on information access should be resisted. I am old enough to remember the absurd censorship issues of the 50s and 60s when repressive ideologues tried to ban books such as Lady Chatterley’s Lover, the Catcher in the Rye and Portnoy’s Complaint.

Notwithstanding this, penalties for dissemination and possession of child pornography, bestiality and sexual sado-masochism should be strengthened.

It is bad enough that right wing Christian ideologues brainwash their children with creationist rubbish and stories that the earth is 6000 years old. I do not want them in setting the standards of information access to the community. How long before the Christian fundamentalists want to ban discussion on evolution?

I would be far happier if the advocates of internet filtering developed their own software to put on their own computer desktops restricting access to information which they find unpleasant or unsatisfactory to their particular religious or social views. On this basis they could protect the delicate minds of their children until they are old enough as reasonably mature individuals to make informed decisions about their own access to information.

Child pornography groups do not operate out in the open on the internet. It’s already hidden. A “filter” won’t make any difference. The government is proposing to restrict access to information based on a secret blacklist that has no Parliamentary oversight or auditing procedures. The current blacklist is also secret and not overseen by the Parliament. No-one could seriously propose that this won’t be abused for political purposes in the future. Even if it was never abused for political purposes, how would you know. That’s the principle of the censorship in Iran, North Korea and China.

The current generation of parenting age grew up since computers were in school and in most workplaces as a matter of routine. They cannot claim the ignorance that older generations can legitimately claim. Do we really have a group of adults claiming they are too stupid to manage their own children?

Every single member of the Labor party is responding to questions from constituents with some sort of script. All the answers are exactly the same whether in person, by email or by post. It doesn’t seem to matter which local member is asked. Very strange.

The internet is like a shopping mall - full of bright, shiny things next to everyday things like newagents, supermarkets and toy shops. You can choose whether to buy or not. You can choose when to go home and when to stay home. It’s your call. Would you let a child wander about a major shopping mall on their own?

The pursuit of this topic is a grab for publicity by those involved more than anything. They’re loking for a concrete sign that they’re “getting things done”. Next we’ll have a “tough on crime” arms race as well.

there is software which stops any website, including terrorists handbook, in my view far more dangerous!

however, in my experience it exposes the adult inthe house looking at publicly embarassing websites

the double standards are breathtaking

if p**n is the life blood of the internet…who are the consumers of the content!?

not all 13 year old males…though if their male parent has the habit..they possibly do not need to see the screen to have the attitude…

anyone with a computer connected to internet has a pipeline to anything…take some responsibility!