Introduction

14 reasons why the filter is a bad idea

Cost goes up

Speed goes down

Reliability goes down

Free speech is weakened

The filter is based on lies

Security risk is increased

Risk to privacy

The filter won't work

Overblocking

Anything can be blocked

Other costs

Putting kids at risk

No need - no want

There are better alternatives

What can I do?

FAQ

Links and further reading

Feedback

What can I do?

  • Write a letter to your local member in the Federal parliament expressing your strong opposition to mandatory internet filtering (or internet filtering generally).
    • A real letter on paper, posted, is better than email. It shows that you care enough to make the effort.
    • Avoid being abusive. Passion and assertiveness are OK.
    • Ask a question rather than only stating your position. This makes it harder for the recipient to ignore you. Don't ask so many questions though that questions are deliberately or accidentally overlooked.
    • If your local member is ALP then state that you will vote against the ALP, at the next election and ever after, if mandatory internet filtering becomes law. If your local member is Liberal or National then state that you will vote against the member if any Liberal Senators / National Senators (as appropriate) vote in favour of the legislation.
    • Seek to educate your local member.
    • Request that you not be sent the "form letter" in response. It is already available on the internet. You want to encourage your local member to think for him/herself. Ask a question that is not covered by the "form letter".
    • Contact info is here.
  • Write a letter to the Senators in your state.
    • Contact info is here.
  • Sign the online petitions.
  • Write an essay about internet censorship and win $2000!
  • Start a paper petition. You might want to read APH House of Representatives Petitions or APH Senate Petitions first.
  • If you notice a member of parliament or other prominent public figure speaking out against mandatory internet filtering, thank him/her.
  • Join anti-Cleanfeed Facebook groups.
  • Join Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) or donate to EFA or do both.
  • Join the Digital Liberty Coalition (DLC) or donate to DLC or do both.
  • Attend a protest. (Details of the next protest will appear here when known. So far, protests have been held in December 2008, March 2009 and March 2010, among other events.)
  • Send email to the letters editor of newspapers.
  • Change your email signature file to let people know about the filter and link to one of the web sites that is objecting to the filter (such as this one).
  • Call talkback radio.
  • Write a letter to Senator Conroy, the Minister for the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
    • Contact info is:
      Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
      GPO Box 2154
      Canberra ACT 2601
  • Participate in blogs and other online forums.

and

  • Talk about this issue with your family and friends (the government has so far been relatively quiet about this plan and most people don't seem to know about it), and get them to do some or all of the above too.