I always find this author's work 'difficult'. This time she seems primarily fearful of internet censorship being used to ban some fringe sexual fetish material such as spanking and wax dripping.

I think the main point has been missed.

Government control of the internet in this new age of Eco totalitarianism is extremely dangerous. I have never been a conspiracy theorist but it is now clear that peoples reliance on the internet make it a prime target for information manipulation and opinion censoring. Its already happening at the Google level particularly if you criticise the new world order.

http://valleywag.gawker.com/358098/un-critic-accuses-google-of-censorship

This type of censoring can easily be used to stifle debate and manipulate opinions. Freedom of the Press is the basis of a good democracy. Restriction of the press is the basis of a totalitarian regime.

What fun ! I wish I was younger I would fix a Shingle to our front door "Bletchley Park". www.bletchleypark.org.uk/content/hist/history.rhtm

A whole new age for Software Developers , Heep's more mega Millionaires , half the Country working for "The Big Bunny", Conroy and the other half in Code Development.

We need to get the opposition's policy on internet censorship also.It is no good voting in Tony Abbott when he will just continue the policy.

If Kevin Rudd is successful,then we should make them detail every item or website they censor.

We have an insidious,creeping,corportate facism that must be defeated.

Examinator, now i KNOW, you are a "true believer", or hard core, card carrying member of the ALP. Probably even red/green, socialist, loony, left faction at that. This very web site and others like it, is the target of this government's legislation. Loony left academics have always hated the proletariat and sought to restrict debate so that they can more easily dictate their "born to rule" social engineering on all of us.

Any idiot knows that law enforcement have been catching paedophiles by following them on "kiddy porn" sites. Any parent who is allowing their child unrestricted access to the Internet at home is abusing them. No child needs to have an Internet phone in their pocket 24/7, or be using a computer in their room alone, the family room with at least one parent present, is just fine.

You betrayed your true, "evil intent" when on another similar article you said that "citizen initiated referendum" could be abused by radical, extremist minority groups. ER, no referendum will pass without majority support & even if a minority group gets a proposal up that is unpopular, the cost is negligible, because it would be going through with other proposals at the next scheduled election.

Before blog sites like OLO became popular. The Mass media fed their lies to us. Australia was no different to George Orwell's "1984" nightmare. Big Brother needs no storm troopers, if the propaganda is working.

Leigh & daggett, it is wrong to concentrate on KRUD the leader as the entire green/red labour coalition is rotten to the core. There is not one single, honest, decent, politician among them & never will be, left wing politics is pure devil worship.

Nina's article should be handed out along with 'how to vote' cards.
It also needs to be mad painfully clear to every voter that the ONLY way Australia is going to dodge this little Orwellian bullet is to NOT VOTE FOR LABOR OR LIBERAL- because they will both happily pull through with it- especially while Tony's in charge. Put your preferred independents or minor candidates on TOP of the paper, put Libs, Labor, the Nats and the Christian-oriented parties LAST (to prevent them from shooting back ahead with preferencing deals).
It should be made clear on GetUp ads.

Great article, Nina. I also wonder how the Australian Christian Lobby get to be 'stakeholders' on this issue - not to mention being briefed by Conroy's department before anybody else.

Examinator, I think you're being unduly harsh on Ms Funnell here. Many of us share her concerns.