What is the Internet we need, and how do we help to build it? For InternetNZ, that’s always been a central question, and these days it is one that matters for everyone.
Filtering laws are a pseudo-solution to real social problems
Right now, the government is putting forward rules for a filtered Internet under New Zealand law. Changes to the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act being considered by Parliament would enable officials to mandate filtering by all New Zealand Internet service providers. The proposals are set out in a Government Bill which is currently at Select Committee and open for submissions until April 1.
We support the goals of the Bill, which aims to reduce the harm from situations like the Christchurch mosque attacks. But though harms from extremist behaviour are a real problem, the proposal for Internet filtering is a pseudo-solution at best, and downright dangerous at worst.
Filtering at the ISP level is a mile wide and an inch deep. People who want to get around a filter can do so by doing a web search to find a free VPN tool. Everyone else will suffer from false positives and, potentially, performance impacts on their connections. Meanwhile, ...
read more ( Internet.NZ )
Filtering laws are a pseudo-solution to real social problems
Right now, the government is putting forward rules for a filtered Internet under New Zealand law. Changes to the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act being considered by Parliament would enable officials to mandate filtering by all New Zealand Internet service providers. The proposals are set out in a Government Bill which is currently at Select Committee and open for submissions until April 1.
We support the goals of the Bill, which aims to reduce the harm from situations like the Christchurch mosque attacks. But though harms from extremist behaviour are a real problem, the proposal for Internet filtering is a pseudo-solution at best, and downright dangerous at worst.
Filtering at the ISP level is a mile wide and an inch deep. People who want to get around a filter can do so by doing a web search to find a free VPN tool. Everyone else will suffer from false positives and, potentially, performance impacts on their connections. Meanwhile, ...
read more ( Internet.NZ )
