Most tech-savvy Australians are pretty upset about the government’s proposal of mandatory internet filtering. But some anti-censorship groups are more upset than others. Michael Meloni, editor of Somebodythinkofthechildren.com has launched a new website called The Gift Of Censorship, and for every 1000 letters sent to Senator Conroy through the website, they’ll also deliver a bag of coal in a large red sack to the minister.
Perhaps it’s best to just let the press release explain:
21 December 2009, Brisbane — Senator Stephen Conroy has been making a list to find out whether you’ve been naughty or nice. A blacklist of thousands of websites that he doesn’t want Australia to see. Now it’s time Australians told Senator Conroy what they really want this Christmas: No Internet Censorship.
Instead of writing to Santa, TheGiftofCensorship.com lets visitors write a brief message that will be delivered to Senator Conroy in a large red sack. And for every 1000 messages sent, Senator Conroy will
also receive a stocking full of coal.Michael Meloni, an IT manager and anti-censorship campaigner from Brisbane, said he built the site to inform the public about all the kinds of legal websites that will be blocked when the government’s mandatory ISP filtering policy is introduced.
“I want to show people that blocking refused classification websites doesn’t just mean blocking child pornography, there’s lots of legal stuff as well.”
“Senator Conroy has been spreading a lot of misinformation about what is refused classification, but it’s easy to find out what will be banned by reading the government’s own National Classification Code”
Meloni said.The festive themed protest site joins a number of other sites and events campaigning to stop Internet censorship in Australia, including a rally in all Australian capital cities on January 30, 2010.
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So send the good Minister a letter and help the gift of coal be shared amongst the politicians in Canberra this Christmas…