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Labor’s Plan for Cyber-Safety

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A few days ago I was reading the government’s original “Plan for Cyber-Safety“, apparently dating back to the election campaign, and all the concerning things contained within. The best place to start commenting on it, I suppose, is at the central theme of Labor’s plan. I know this is the central theme, because they repeated it in big letters inside a coloured box. At any rate, this is it:

Labor considers that, just as we teach Australian children about the risks of drink driving, we must also teach them how to be responsible cyber-citizens and about the importance of cyber-safety.

The eight-page document begins by listing all the possible negative consequences of using the internet, such as “computer addiction”, “anti-social behaviour”, “cyber bullying”, “depression”, and “physical harm”. With those facts firmly established, they list their main idea, quoted above: all Australian children must be taught how to be “responsible cyber-citizens”.

Nowhere does the plan define what “responsible cyber-citizenship” is, although we can safely assume it involves “cyber-safety”. Despite not having a firm definition, the government sees responsible cyber-citizenship as an important part of children’s overall health and well-being, and with this in mind, it will be forced upon all children as a kind of health measure. They will force it upon children through the intermediaries of parents and teachers, whose duties are as follows:

All parents need to be made aware of the issues and threats that their children can be faced with when using computers and the internet and ensure their children use computers and the internet responsibly.

Teachers will ensure that Australian children are provided with a first-rate cyber-safety education. Teachers will need to be armed with up-to-date, comprehensive and age-appropriate teaching materials and an understanding of cyber-safety.

But, just in case parents and teachers fail, or just in case children are too misguided to be responsible cyber-citizens, the government will also implement a mandatory filtering system. That way, if children try to access inappropriate websites (such as “irresponsible” wikileaks), they’ll find it blocked, and their attempt at irresponsible cyber-citizenship will be foiled.

On page four, the plan reflects on the Howard Government’s plan, and admits that they took a step in the right direction. The Howard Government released an optional filter that parents could download, if the thought of uncensored Internet access bothered them that much. In my opinion this plan is preferable, since it gives people choice. However, Labor says this plan falls short, pointing out the following deficiencies:

  • the filters can be bypassed (in an interesting sidenote, the kid who bypassed the filters now works for the government, promoting its vision of “cyber-safety”)
  • “wasting money” on a public awareness campaign
  • not enough sites are blocked to “protect our children from harmful and inappropriate content”
  • children who are concerned about material they may have seen on the internet cannot receive immediate assistance from the government

Labor goes on to say that its plan is better because its filters cannot be evaded. Its plan is better because its filters will be more comprehensive, blocking many more things than that pathetic Liberal list. Its plan is also better because all children will be raised — sorry, empowered to be responsible cyber-citizens, and even in adult life they will be aware that they can report all inappropriate material to the government, and the government will be happy to respond.

They go on to explain how they can be sure teachers will educate children about “cyber-safety” in accordance with its wishes. From 2009, student teachers will be required to have an understanding of cyber-safety and know how to engage their students appropriately and effectively on these issues. Current teachers will be required to complete training, if their states and territories cooperate.

The government understands the importance of consultation. To this end, they will create a youth advisory committee which is to meet every three months with the consultative working group, to discuss issues of “cyber-safety”. To be eligible for the youth advisory committee, you must have a demonstrated passion for the ideals of cyber-safety. Furthermore, the issues you’ll be discussing are primarily how to persuade your fellow youths that “responsible cyber-citizenship” is the way to be.

This is the plan. The one the government is actively working towards, right now. They’ve publicly admitted it won’t stop child porn, and insisted that wasn’t the point. Why? Because this is the point. Stopping child porn is the phony story they tell to distract people. You know, when they’re not avoiding the topic altogether. Their real goal is to create a nation of “responsible cyber-citizens”… whatever that really means.



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