Optus Now Taking Part In The Government’s Internet Filter Trial
We laughed when the original six ISPs were announced to trial the Government’s ISP-level internet filtering scheme – aside from iPrimus, we’d never heard of any of them. Well, yesterday the Government added a seventh ISP to the trial, and this time it’s a biggie. Optus will be taking part in the trial from May 22.If you’re a Optus Internet customer based in Sydney or Newcastle, you may be part of the trial – everywhere else is safe for the moment. The trial is expected to last for six weeks, and Optus has stated that they’ll be informing customers who have been selected to participate via email from yesterday, and the program is opt-out (unlike the real filter if the Government gets its way).
So our advice: opt out, opt out, opt out. Despite Optus stating that they want to play a proactive role in the trial to measure the impact of filtering technologies, the truth is that filtering trials have already been done before and told us that these technologies DO have a negative impact on performance. Not to mention the simple fact that, as any real anti-virus software company will tell you, filtering through a blacklist isn’t an effective way to stop access to internet nasties.
Anyway, I’m just happy I’m not an Optus internet customer today…
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Comments
Thank bajezus I’m finishing up with optus this month.
Gooooddbyyeeee optus!
I’m an optus customer and in Sydney no less. If I get the email I’ll be telling optus to fuck right off.
Son of a bitch! I’m not going to take part in this.
FFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
great, another thing i’ll have to do… opt out of shit i dont want. Here’s an idea … how about make it opt-IN and leave the normal people alone…. good work optus
Damn it, Optus! Unfortunately, I *am* an Optus internet customer. Thanks for the heads up, Nick. I’ll keep an eye out for that “opt-out” email.
This is bloody ridiculous and may very well lose Optus a number of customers.
I wouldn’t mind so much if Optus had anything close to acceptable phone support to enable me to request the filter be turned off according to the Government’s plan, right?
At least the non-mandatory one?
Far out, Australia fricken’ sucks.
“So our advice: opt out, opt out, opt out.”
No, no, no! To opt out is to concede defeat. They don’t WANT you to be in the trials, that’s why the other trial participants are offering it opt-in instead, so no-one does. The less people in the trial, the fewer problems discovered, the lower the speed degradation, the better the results. “See, these 20 people didn’t notice a thing! The other 20,999,990 shouldn’t either!”
Don’t get all ‘NIMBY’ about the trial. We need to present a united front on this. Everyone that can participate in the trial, should. It will suck, but if you stick it out for just six weeks, browsing as much as you can, using P2P, poking and prodding every nook and cranny of the ‘net, exposing every little flaw in the filter, we can make a difference and hopefully put this issue to bed once and for all (or at least until we elect PM Abbott *shudder*).
Of course, this all depends on whether Conroy gives a rat’s arse about the findings, which I’m sure he doesn’t (unless he sees the writing on the wall and uses the findings as an out to dump a toxic policy). I mean, this guy practically said he would wait until the results of the trial were back, THEN establish the parameters for what he considers a pass/fail etc. He’s basically kicking the ball, watching where it lands, THEN deciding where the goal posts go. The trial’s basically setup so it can’t fail. “What’s that, total latency’s increased by 27%? Well, uh… lucky then the pass mark was, uh, 30%!”
Why would you opt-out?
Surely you can provide more negative feedback to Optus / government if you take part in it
Opt-in and start your complaints motor.
Opt in. Opt out. We all want to achieve the same thing. Hurt this government at the ballot box & perhaps the next will see the light.
FACT 1: Optus wants to sell its backbone to the Government for the FTTH SuperAussieNet. FACT 2: The Government wants to sell the public its NannyNet. My GUESS: they can both get what they want with a SuperAussieNannyNet.
Just a couple of f#cking kangaroos.
I started to feel that i vote for the wrong government. How long do i have to wait for next election?
Filtering will have far reaching implications and won’t do squat for its intended purpose. If the government insists on meddling in our personals affairs we should insist they leave office. Back to the 1950s censorship? No thanks. Optus customers should walk!
This would also have worked as the photograph for the article…
http://i721.photobucket.com/albums/ww215/wiggett/Electronic-Mail.jpg