Australia to Block Internet Domains During Terror Attacks

Chris Menahan
InformationLiberation
Aug. 29, 2019

The ruling class in Australia is expanding their power to block websites in the name of "safety."

Earlier this year, ISPs in Australia and New Zealand blocked over a dozen websites in the wake of the Christchurch shooting without legal precedent including Zero Hedge, 4chan, 8chan, Voat and BitChute.

From Reuters:

Australia will block access to internet domains hosting terrorist material during crisis events and will consider legislation to force digital platforms to improve the safety of their services, officials said on Sunday.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is in France to take part in the G7 leaders' forum, said the government intended to prevent extremists from exploiting digital platforms to post extremely violent content.

"We are doing everything we can to deny terrorists the opportunity to glorify their crimes," he said in a statement.

[...] Australia's eSafety Commissioner would determine on a case-by-case basis what should be censored, and was working with industry on arrangements to quickly block access during an attack.

Here's what their "eSafety Office" is up to:

REPORT: If you encounter offensive and illegal content online please report to our @eSafetyOffice CyberReport team https://t.co/HIhY7eaTj4 pic.twitter.com/Snyu8yddy6
— eSafety Office (@eSafetyOffice) August 26, 2019

Join us @ #eSafety19 gain insights into the online experiences of diverse communities & understand how support programs can be more effectively tailored to reflect their lived experience. We asked Bhajanpreet @NetsafeYAS what online world he wants to see. https://t.co/Te1N82hnFf pic.twitter.com/9hEOkiz4sh
— eSafety Office (@eSafetyOffice) August 21, 2019

I'm sure this power will not be abused!

A 24/7 Crisis Coordination Centre would be established to monitor the online world for extreme violence or terrorist material.

In addition to extremist violence, domains hosting any abhorrent violent material – defined as content showing murder, attempted murder, rape, torture, or kidnapping – that is recorded by anyone involved in the conduct also would be blocked, the government said.

The definition of "terrorist" material they can cite to block domains has already expanded within this one article.

They go on to note how they've fined news organizations for broadcasting clips of the Christchurch shooting livestream:

SKY Network Television was fined NZ$4,000 ($2,560) by New Zealand's Broadcasting Standards Authority earlier this month for showing a number of edited clips taken from the alleged Christchurch attacker's 17 minute livestream video.

The regulator said in its judgment that, while the broadcast was newsworthy, the clips contained disturbing violent content which could cause distress, or glorify the alleged attacker and promote his messages.

The evolution of state censorship:

- We're just going to block domains hosting terrorist material!
- We're just going to block domains hosting terrorist material and domains hosting abhorrent violent material!
- We're just going to block domains hosting terrorist material and domains hosting abhorrent violent material and we're going to fine news media outlets for reporting on it!

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