[10655] in bugtraq
BUGTRAQ may be banned in Australia
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Peter Jeremy)
Thu May 27 13:42:37 1999
Message-Id: <99May27.080546est.40394@border.alcanet.com.au>
Date: Thu, 27 May 1999 08:21:26 +1000
Reply-To: Peter Jeremy <peter.jeremy@AUSS2.ALCATEL.COM.AU>
From: Peter Jeremy <peter.jeremy@AUSS2.ALCATEL.COM.AU>
To: BUGTRAQ@NETSPACE.ORG
This message is intended as a call-to-arms for BUGTRAQ subscribers as
well as a warning to subscribers in other countries.
Yesterday, the Australian Senate (Upper House of the Federal Government)
passed legislation to censor the Internet (I don't have a URL for the
final legislation at present). This legislation mandates the censorship
of Internet content (which includes mailing lists) as if it was a film.
All Australian ISPs are required filter overseas content that would be
rated X or RC under the Australian classification guidelines (see
http://www.oflc.gov.au/PDFs/Film%20&%20Video%20Guidelines.pdf).
The RC (Refused Classification) category states:
"The Classification Code sets out the criteria for refusing to classify
a film or video. The criteria fall into three categories. These include
films that: ... promote, incite or instruct in matters of crime or
violence."
and later
"Films and videos will be refused classification: or if they contain:
... detailed instruction in: matters of crime or violence,"
BUGTRAQ is a full-disclosure list and regularly contains detailed
descriptions of how to break into computers. Breaking into computers is
a crime in Australia. It is therefore possible that BUGTRAQ could be
classified "RC" and hence banned in Australian.
Refer to http://www.efa.org.au/ for further information.
Peter
--
Peter Jeremy (VK2PJ) peter.jeremy@alcatel.com.au
Alcatel Australia Limited
41 Mandible St Phone: +61 2 9690 5019
ALEXANDRIA NSW 2015 Fax: +61 2 9690 5982
