Internet Service Provider (ISP) filtering
ISP filtering is a key component of the Australian Government’s cyber-safety plan. Filtering of online material at the ISP level reflects the view that ISPs should take some responsibility for enabling the blocking of such content on the internet.
This is consistent with the recent child online protection guidelines issued by the International Telecommunications Union. The guidelines state that the strategic objective for the internet industry for child internet safety should be to reduce the availability of, and restrict access to, harmful or illegal content and conduct.
ISP-level content filtering is already occurring in other countries, including Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The Government wants to ensure a similar level of protection for internet users in Australia.
ISP-level filtering of Refused Classification material
The Government has announced that it will introduce legislative amendments to require all ISPs in Australia to use ISP‑level filtering to block overseas hosted Refused Classification (RC) material on the ACMA RC Content list.
Content defined under the National Classification Scheme as Refused Classification includes child sexual abuse imagery, bestiality, sexual violence, detailed instruction in crime, violence or drug use and/or material that advocates the doing of a terrorist act.
The RC Content list will be based on public complaints to the ACMA and assessed using existing criteria set out in the National Classification Scheme. The ACMA will also liaise with highly reputable overseas organisations to identify lists of child abuse material suitable for incorporation into the RC Content list, following a detailed assessment by the ACMA of the processes used to compile those lists.
Review of Refused Classification category
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, recently announced a review of the Refused Classification category under the National Classification Scheme.
The review will be conducted by the Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Brendan O’Connor, in cooperation with relevant State and Territory Ministers. The review will examine the current scope of the existing RC classification, and assess whether it adequately reflects community standards.
As the Government’s mandatory ISP filtering policy is underpinned by the strength of the classification system, the mandatory filtering legislation will not be introduced until the review is completed.
Transparency and Accountability Measures
The Minister has announced a comprehensive suite of transparency and accountability measures to accompany the introduction of ISP-level filtering.
This suite of measures is based upon the outcomes from recent public consultations on options for transparency and accountability measures relating to the placement of material on a list for filtering.
Agreement to voluntary filtering of child abuse material
While the review of the RC classification proceeds, Australian users would still have access to content that has been classified as RC, including child abuse material which most people would agree is content that should not be available on the internet.
Telstra, Optus and Primus have agreed to voluntarily filter a list of child abuse URLs compiled and maintained by the ACMA.
In line with the Government’s mandatory filtering policy, URLs of child abuse imagery obtained from lists maintained by highly reputable overseas agencies will also be placed on the ACMA list for voluntary filtering, following a detailed assessment by the ACMA of the processes used to compile those lists.
As far as practicable, the agreed suite of transparency and accountability measures for the mandatory filtering policy will also apply to the voluntary filtering of child abuse material.
The Government will also consider legislation to provide ISPs protection from civil action where they are voluntarily filtering child abuse material.
Other Australian ISPs are encouraged to follow the example of these ISPs, as well as the large number of ISPs in other western democracies that filter this content.
Additional filtering
The Government has also announced it will establish a program to encourage ISPs to offer additional ISP-level filtering services on a commercial basis to assist parents to provide a safer online environment for their children, including from inadvertently accessing harmful online material such as potential X18+ and gambling sites.
ISP-level filters can enable parents to choose from a broad range of categories of content they wish to filter without having to download or configure software on their personal computers.
Frequently asked Questions
The Department has provided answers to a number of frequently asked questions in relation to the Government’s plans for the introduction of ISP-level filtering.
Are you an ISP seeking further information?
The Government is committed to continue working closely with the internet industry in relation to the implementation of ISP-level filtering.
If you are an ISP seeking further information on the technical aspects of filtering, register your details with the Department via the online form.
ISP filtering pilot
As part of its plan to examine the introduction of ISP-level filtering, the Government conducted a live ISP filtering pilot in 2009 that provided valuable information on the effectiveness and efficiency of filters installed in 'real world' ISP networks.
The live pilot, managed by independent testing laboratory Enex TestLab, demonstrated that filtering of a defined list of online content can achieve 100 per cent accuracy and no noticeable performance degradation directly attributable to the filter.
Enex TestLab has provided its report of findings from the ISP filtering pilot.
