I wet myself a little when reading Hillary Clinton’s opinions on internet freedom and allowed myself a little gloat in the direction of our very own Minister for Botching Everything he Touches, Senator Conroy.

Her speech contains some of the most rational and future-proofed analysis of the internet in its global political context ever published. Conroy’s response, however, is hackneyed, uninformative and fails, in every sense, to engage Clinton’s arguments. I’ll attempt to illustrate this disjunction without flooding the page with quotes, but Hillary’s words are too erudite and well constructed for me to paraphrase too often.

Clinton launches the thrust of her speech by quoting Obama’s warning to China,

the more freely information flows, the stronger societies become.

Even Conroy can’t disagree, saying that

The Rudd Government agrees with Secretary Clinton that the internet can transform societies and enable and empower individuals to engage, connect and have a greater impact than they ever have

So while Conroy nods his head and mumbles along in fluent pollie-speak, Clinton begins pushing the concept further, condemning Governments’ use of censorship.

technologies with the potential to open up access to government and promote transparency can also be hijacked by governments to crush dissent and deny human rights… [As] history itself has already condemned these tactics.

Conroy by now is slowing his vigorous head-nodding as he realises he’s on the wrong side of the fence. Just in time, however, Clinton throws him a line:

Now, all societies recognize that free expression has its limits. We do not tolerate those who incite others to violence, such as the agents of al-Qaida who are, at this moment, using the internet to promote the mass murder of innocent people across the world. And hate speech that targets individuals on the basis of their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation is reprehensible. It is an unfortunate fact that these issues are both growing challenges that the international community must confront together. And we must also grapple with the issue of anonymous speech. Those who use the internet to recruit terrorists or distribute stolen intellectual property cannot divorce their online actions from their real world identities.

Our Minister for Broadband Hindrance and the Digital Expolitation of Children sighs in relief, he’s said the exact same thing!

Australians have always recognised that there is some content which is not acceptable in any civilised society. [So we're going to censor the internet]

Unfortunately for Senator Steve, the line Clinton threw him came complete with bait and hook:

But these challenges must not become an excuse for governments to systematically violate the rights and privacy of those who use the internet for peaceful political purposes.

But Conroy’s not trying to violate our rights, right? Right? Hillary?

Some countries have erected electronic barriers that prevent their people from accessing portions of the world’s networks. They’ve expunged words, names, and phrases from search engine results. They have violated the privacy of citizens who engage in non-violent political speech. These actions contravene the Universal Declaration on Human Rights,

At this point our friend in the Senate should be rethinking his policy’s impact on diplomatic ties with the US. Hell, even Google thinks the plan is a disaster. Unfortunately, even the most powerful woman in the world can’t persuade the least receptive man in the world. In the very same press release as his insubstantial agreement with Clinton, he goes on to plug his censorship plans as a good thing. So Australians are in the hole now right? Wrong.

We are also supporting the development of new tools that enable citizens to exercise their rights of free expression by circumventing politically motivated censorship.

Thank you Hillary, thank you. Now if you could just leave the installation materials for TOR on my doorstep I’ll be able to circumvent Con-job Conroy’s censorship machine.

Tune in next time for how the anti-censorship campaign needs to move forward to beat this once and for all.

*Edit: Fixed the first link to Clinton’s speech.

My frustration with religious prescriptions is well documented. Following my online commentary leaves one with the sense that while I don’t begrudge sommeone having their beliefs, I don’t suffer morality as a valid base for social strictures. Religion has had thousands of years to move us past the barbarism of scarcity and conflict but has failed miserably. This is why I fight for a secular government based on secular principles.

I actually like hanging out with fundies (fundamentalist charismatic/ born-again christians), especially the couples that are my age and already married. Naomi and I spent some time down in SA with a group of people in said situation and I found their approach to sex and partnership quite refreshing. It helped that they were all exceedingly attractive and that I could easily imagine the explosive force of their wedding night.

So now that I’ve explained that ’some of my best friends are christians’, I’m allowed to say whatever horrible things I want to about them.

Imagine my dismay when I found out that the gorgeous russian mother/daughter duo from down the hallway are born again chrisitans. Up till that point they’d lived at the Orient for a few months without uttering more than a few words at a time to me. In their first prolonged conversation with me they not only explained that they were born again bible bashers, they also explained that:

• Jesus hated me for masturbating, but if I stopped now I might still have time to repent,
• I was not allowed to marry Naomi because she was born again and I wasn’t (once was enough thank you very much)
• My listening to non-christian music offended Jesus
• My grey hair was a sign that Jesus was displeased with me
• Just because I don’t believe in hell doesn’t mean I’m  not going there anyway
• Living with Naomi before we’re married is a sin and I need to move out right at that instant

None of this would have bothered me if it wasn’t for the mother’s facial expression during the conversation. The underlying tone was ‘I’m sorry your heathen upbringing failed to inform you of all this but now that you know I’m sure you’ll change right away’. Meanwhile the daughter was looking more than a little embarrassed about the tongue-lashing I’d sat through. Maybe there’s some hope for her after all.

Things certainly didn’t turn out the way I thought they would.

If I could go back in time to 1999 and tell my 14 year old self some of the things that I take for granted these days, I’m sure he’d have a fit.

First of all, the idea of being invited to four or five parties per weekend isn’t something I expected. I think think that by 14 I was convinced I had social leprosy. The sheer amount of revelry I’ve walked into without so much as iota of effort still amazes me. I go out of my way to avoid parties and special events and yet my calendar is swamped with the bastards.

I’m not complaining, it’s an awesome lifestyle so long as I keep getting work done.

I remember being seven years old and going to a Labor party dinner with Paul Keating and the rest of the party A-list over at the Greek Club. This was around the time Indonesia invaded East Timor and anyone in Australia with a social conscience was mighty pissed at the Government for not stopping it. There was a huge student protest outside the building as we walked in. I thought it was cool until some guy (I remember him still) grabbed me and screamed at me not to listen to ‘their’ lies. I remember wanting to lash out and hit him.That was my first experience of student activism.

My latest experience was of being elected General Secretary of the most politically active student guild in recent QUT history. I am now that roaring legion that stood outside the Greek Club that evening. I am now that young man who can’t stand to see people blindly follow their parents on politics and religion.

I wonder if providence will ever let me meet that man. I wonder if he remembers me as clearly and precisely as I remember him. I wonder if he’d appreciate the narrative of my movement from seven year old to activist.

I doubt that the fourteen year old me would have expected that only ten years later I’d be preparing to marry.

I doubt that the fourteen year old me would have expected that I’d have turned to smoking cigarettes like my father.

I doubt that the fourteen year old me would have expected me to identify so heavily with atheists and pastafarians.

I doubt that the fourteen year old me would have been able to cope with a day of my life as it is now.

When did I grow up? I can’t remember it happening.

I’d like to tell the fourteen year old me that everything would work out and not to worry. The sad truth is that I can’t just yet. Too much remains unsettled. Too many shadows lurk around corners. I’m not finished being attacked yet. I’m not sure I ever will be. I’m not sure anyone ever is.

Stilgherrian tugged at the loose and threadbare lap sash that only barely held him to the car seat.

“I get it that Meloni is late for work,” he said as the car swerved violently to avoid a pensioner, “but why do we need six people in the car to get him there?” Websinthe turned away from the steering wheel and looked at Stil.

“Good God man, can’t you be more supportive? This man needs our help!” His speech was slightly muffled by the herbal cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Oncoming traffic started mashing down their horns as the car drifted into the wrong lane.

“Holy fucking hell!” He shouted. The herbal was still tucked tightly between his pursed lips.

“I thought we we’re going to Starbuck’s.” said Ben Grubb from TechWiredAU.

Coljac turned to Stil. “It’s a solidarity thing Stil. I’ll tell you about it when you’re older.”

“Are you shitting me Col? I’m almost a decade older than you!”

“Oh really?” Coljac looked confused. “Then you tell me.”

“I just said I don’t know!”

“Oh Fuck me sideways!” Websinthe yelled as he yanked the wheel hard to avoid another pensioner.

Meloni sat shotgun, knees tucked under his chin and sobbing. He turned to Stilgherrian and Coljac as they argued. “Why can’t you two just be nice to each other?” He wailed, tears pissing down his face.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Stilgherrian cried. His voice raised an octave on the last syllable, prompting a raised eyebrow from Taezer.

Websinthe took his eyes off the road again. This time one hand left the wheel as well, index finger jabbed in the direction of the weeping Meloni. “Jesus Fuck Stihl! Why can’t you think of the children for once?”

Ben Grubb from TechWiredAU sat in the back seat with Taezar. In his left hand was an iPhone, his right hand held an HTC and he had a USB pen held between his teeth. He looked up with inquiring eyes.

“Has anyone heard of the new touch screen phone that Boeing is bringing out?” He asked.

Taezar peeled her eyes away from her night vision glasses, her irises contracted into twin singularities from intensity of amplified daylight.

“I SEE GOD” she said. Her voice boomed like the death of a thousand suns and obliterated every window in the car. Meloni started wailing again. Coljac leaned forward and started stroking Meloni’s hair in an attempt to comfort him.

Bernadette McMenamin shot a dissaproving glare from the footpath as they sped past.

Stil held on to the lap sash so tight that it snapped. His mouth dropped into a desperate pitch of dismay as he looked at the snapped ends of the sash.

“Who owns this piece of shit?” he begged.

Websinthe kept his eyes on the road this time. “Does that really  matter Stil? Does it?” the herbal still hung unlit from his lips. “All I know is that we’re all going to jail for this.”

Coljac sat up straight, his smile beaming from ear to ear. “Oh good, we’ll get to see Clive again.” he said, clapping excitedly.

A collective wail of anguish filled the car. Ben Grubb from TechWiredAU clutched his three phones to his chest protectively. One of the phones beeped harshly.

“Hey Stil. Today’s Crikey just came through.” he said.

“My porn!” Stil roared as he launched himself into the backseat. He grabbed the phone and began reading as he curled up on Taezar’s lap.

Coljac reached back and grabbed the scruff of Ben Grubb from TechWiredAU’s shirt.

“That was awesome!” he yelled.

They all lurched forward as Websinthe flattened the brake pedal. The wheels screeched and the car began to slide. It stopped directly outside Meloni’s work. Websinthe was out the door immediately. He got to Meloni’s door before it was opened from the inside and yanked the weeping man out through the window.

Ben Grubb from TechWiredAU came up from behind and started carrying Meloni over his shoulder as Websinthe threw himself bodily through the reception’s front window. Shards and blood scattered across the front desk.

Websinthe rolled and kept running into the office proper screaming for everyone to “get the fuck down” and that it was “hammer time.” Ben Grubb from TechWiredAU burst in with Meloni over his shoulder just seconds later. He threw Meloni down on his desk.

“I’m here! It’s okay! I’m sorry I’m late!” Meloni yelled at the skirt walking past.

His boss strode up to Meloni’s desk, looking direly unimpressed. “I’m sick of your shit Meloni. I’m fired.” said the boss.

The boss broke into sobs and ran from the room with his face in his hands. Meloni, Ben Grubb from TechWiredAU, Stilgherrian, Coljac, Taezar and the bleeding and disfigured Websinthe all shot their hands into the air screaming…

“YAY! PIZZA DAY!”

Fin

At midnight on what has become known as ‘Scorched Saturday’ the ABC is reporting that the bushfire has claimed 84 lives. The BBC is reporting the same and has been following the situation all day.

Emergency crews are locked in a desperate struggle against the bushfires. As I write this, Police have just confirmed that the death toll has risen to 130** dead in the fires.

Chief Commissioner of Victorian Police Christine Nixon has confirmed the bushfire’s death toll includes at least four children.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, when asked his thoughts on the deliberate starting of these fires and the people responsible -

What do you say about them? What can you say about them? Other than it’s mass murder.

Currently there are 50 fires burning with 8* of those fires completely out of control. There have been reports that many of the fires were lit deliberately. Twitter user @lukeshillabeer reports -

I heard a police officer and a fire-fighter talking about having to watch for fires being lit behind their lines… wtf

The bushfires are rapidly burning through the following areas*:

• Beechworth,
• Murrindindi,
• Kinglake,
• Redsdale,
• Dargo,
• Delburn,
• Wilsons Prom
• Bunyip

Many areas sit awake watching numerous rainless electrical storms spark the dry tinder of the Victorian bush.

For those looking to lend a hand, donations can be made at the Red Cross website.

To keep track of events as they occur, tune your radio into ABC Melbourne 774.

Twitter has once again proven itself to be a valuable resource as it tracks the Australian fires across Victoria. Messages and updates are coming at a rate approaching one ever 10 seconds. The Australian bushfires have also drawn mass messages of support and sympathy from overseas. Many in the online global community are using services like twitter to keep track of the situation and updates.

Links to Red Cross Donation drives for the bushfires in Melbourne have been trying desperately to keep pace with the bushfire itself.

The photo service Flickr has also allowed those close to the fires to paint a graphic picture of the situation.

*updated at 13:30 AEST 14:30 AEDST

**updated at 15:02 AEST 16:02 AEDST

The March in March is coming up and so is the World’s Greatest Shave. I’m involved with both, so I’ve come up with a way of supporting both.

100% of the profit made from these shirts will be donated to the Leukeimia foundation.

Two good causes and a shirt that says that you were there and that you fought the man.

At approximately 12:40 AEST on the 1st of Feb, StopBadWare.com, the service supplying Google with result filtering went offline and took Google with it.

Every website, according to google, may harm your computer.

The twitterati instantly turned the public timeline into a #google war room. The internet is, at the moment, anxiously waiting for Google to get its act together.

Senator Conroy’s website, however, was accurately filtered:

They didn’t stand out from the crowd, their silhouettes gave no indication as to the nature of their association. They were laughing, chatting and having a few well deserved Friday night drinks. It was only once one of them turned and recognised me that I was able to pick them out from the other patrons of the Ship Inn.

There are no obvious demographic indications that these people would otherwise get along. The Male/Female split is roughly half, the ages range from 18 to 49 with an average around 30 and there are few professional links outside of their online exploits.

You wouldn’t pick it, but these dozen people lead a strange and exciting double life. They all have jobs, mortgages and families but they are also bloggers, tweeters, techies, podcasters, citizen journalists and for the most part, opponents of the government’s ISP filtering scheme. According to Bernadette McMenamin, these people are all supporters of child pornography. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I have never met a group of people that spend so much time thinking of effective methods of making the internet a better place for everyone. The Australian blogosphere, heavily inclusive of this group as it is, has been rife with public and not so public discussion on how to best keep our children safe while keeping the internet as a state-free-zone. I don’t say ‘our children’ metaphorically, some of us are parents too.

The difference between these parents and the parents targeted by the scare tactics used by the Government, Clive Hamilton and especially Bernadette McMenamin is that these parents are heavily involved in the internet community, not as technogibberish speaking engineers, but as people who treat the internet as their workplace.

The children of these tech savvy people don’t ‘accidentally’ become exposed to internet porn. Their children aren’t targeted by chat-room stalkers. Their children aren’t threatened by the internet. This is not because of the wizz-bang filtering gadgets that these folks employ, it is because of the way these parents have taken the time to learn how to practically keep their children safe on the internet.

One of the fathers at the table is asked about his daughter. His face swells with pride as he taps away on his iPhone. He turns it around and shows us a striking image of his 17 year old daughter in her formal dress. A princess if ever I had seen one, and you could tell her dad felt the same way. I looked over at one of the other fathers at the table as he shared a story about his own children growing up. That one look reminded me of the intensely protective nature of parenting.

I wouldn’t blame a single one of these guys for doing anything, no matter how stupid, in the name of protecting their children. I could even understand them wanting to censor the internet. I would almost shut up about it if they managed to do it.

Yet these fathers and mothers are amongst thousands of other parents that have shown their disgust at the idea of an ISP filtered internet. These parents have looked at the task of protecting their children and, with the full force of both logical thought and parental urges, told the government that they are not going to accept this policy.

Long gone are the days where geeks were 20-something males that sat in dark rooms feeding on pizza and coke whilst coding arcane technologies. The geeks that the government are now up against are mums, dads, teachers, lawyers, tradesmen, children, elderly. Labelling us a ’small group of internet libertarians’ is anachronistic and wrong. The situation is now one where politicians are gradually losing touch with the make-up of society.

Rudd and Conroy are perfect examples of the party-room disconnect. Both Rudd and especially Conroy are young by the standards of the offices they have achieved. Both were able to achieve such political success through intense devotion to the political machine, in this case the flashpoint factionalism of the Labor Party. Rudd hails from a background in the beauracracy, an effective petrie dish for the kind of ‘us and them’ mindset that leads to ‘policies for people’s own good’.

Have a look at Conroy’s Biography and you see a man that was born into the Labor Party, took it deliberately with both hands, and has never left its sheltering arms. The man’s only exposure to the communications industry, as far as the DBCDE website can tell, is his work as a minister, shadow minister or an advisor to a shadow minister.

It is unlikely that Conroy’s exposure to the internet and similiar technologies has ever been out of a passionate drive to innovate and create. This is why the IT community is in uproar at Conroy’s proposed solution to protecting Children. Conroy’s solution not only shows a complete lack of inginuity, creativity or true problem solving but also relies on an ideology that is naturally opposed to innovation, Censorship.

It’s little wonder then that the parents I spent time with last night are so vehemently against the filter. To them it represents a typically political grab at popularity and only a recycled and misdirected attempt at real protection for their children.

Now with Senator Conroy announcing that the live trial will attempt to filter p2p and torrent traffic as well as mainstream web traffic, the disconnect between the DBCDE and reality has never been more obvious. The technical difficulties are not even the issue, they are insurmountable with the budget Conroy has proposed and even if the entire industry did get together to make the system work properly, the cost would be enough to fund an all out war on child abuse by the AFP.

The arguements made by the pro-filter lobby, mainly comprising of filter vendors and the religious groups after the government was abandoned by the child protection lobby, completely disregard the true problem with this filter. Even if ISP filtering worked exactly as Conroy intends it to, the money and effort used to do so would have achieved results an order of magnitude greater if it had been given to the police.

Child porn and its distribution on the internet are real and dangerous problems. They will not, however, be solved by centralised filtering that is not fully transparent to the populace it is designed to protect.

The real heroes of this war are the police, only they can achieve the wholistic approach to stopping child abuse in Australia. Combined with an effective education program for the use of PC based filtering, we could actually have a real solution on our hands.

This is the comment policy on Mike the Participant’s blog.

A condition of posting comments on this blog is that everyone who does so must do so with their full name and provide an e-mail address that can be used to verify their identity.

It is also a condition of publication that you must declare any vested interests you have in the debate, financial or otherwise.

If you are closet supporter of child pornography, I am afraid you will have to declare this. If you work for an ISP or a filter-vendor, you will have to declare that.

If your only interest is freedom of speech, I am sorry, but you will have to declare that.

My response, as much as I hate to admit some of it.

By the way, I have those things that I need to declare:

I support free speech
I support Task Force Argos
I support the AFP
I support the fight against child porn
I support PC based filtering

I have no financial interest in any ISP, filter or government.

I’m going to duplicate my comments on ‘Mike the Participant’s’ blog here just in case he moderates them in any way. I also don’t expect a debate/war/shitmatch to be clean or gentlemanly from his end.

Link to his original article: here

My response

It’s good to see that you’ve completely missed the point about why the ACMA and the internet won’t mix.

If the ACMA blacklist is complaint based, somebody has to find the site first and then report it. If child pornographers are still out there, it means they’ve managed to avoid the police, let alone somebody actually stumbling upon them by accident.

So now they go behind closed doors and the ACMA plays catchup with a better resourced and more determined group of criminals.

The ACMA link isn’t just about future political censorship, it’s also about it being a completely pointless misdirection of funds that could be spent on better enforcement.