Don't claim we support filter, iiNet tells Conroy

INTERNET company hits back after minister says it supports controversial web filtering plan.

ONE of Australia's largest internet companies has rubbished claims by a federal minister that it supports the Rudd Government's internet filtering plan.

A spokesperson for iiNet today said the company had been in touch with the office of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to complain after he claimed it was in support of the Government's filtering policy.

"We've been in touch with Senator Conroy's office to reaffirm that we don't support the filter and requested him not to misrepresent our position," they said.

Senator Conroy was quoted yesterday in the Sydney Morning Herald as saying the plan was supported by several internet service providers (ISPs) including iiNet.

"This policy has been approved by 85 per cent of Australian internet service providers, who have said they would welcome the filter, including Telstra, Optus, iPrimus and iiNet," he was quoted as saying.

But iiNet said that was rubbish.

The company said its position on the Government's web filtering policy had not changed since January, when it warned the plan would not be effective and could give parents a false sense of security.

"Let's be clear. We don't support the Government's proposal. We never have," iiNet chief regulatory officer Steve Dalby said in an open letter at the time.

"If the Government continues to proceed with their ISP filtering plan we will continue to oppose it and seek to make their bad idea better by suggesting improvements.

"But we'll hold fast in our view that it will still be a bad idea that simply won't work."

A spokesperson for iiNet today said Mr Dalby's letter was still representative of the company's stance.

iiNet is Australia's third largest internet service provider behind Telstra and Optus.

Under the Government's internet filtering plan, all ISPs in Australia would be forced to block access to a secret list of banned web pages.

The secret list would consist of web pages containing material which is refused classification (RC).

The Government says: "This content 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."

However iiNet believes a filter would not stop the trade of child pornography because it did not usually take place on public websites.

"Why don't we support ISP internet filtering? Because it doesn't work and it won't fix the problem the Government is trying to solve," said Mr Dalby in his letter.

"The reality is paedophiles and criminals do not use public websites to distribute their illegal content and the planned Government filter is currently only proposed to block website addresses or 'URLs' – so it won't prevent this kind of activity."

Australia's largest ISP Telstra said in December that it welcomed the plan, as long as it included other measures such as education and policing as well.

A Telstra spokesperson today said the company's stance had not changed since then, but it was still waiting on the Government to explain how the plan would work.

"We are engaged with the Government on the implementation of its policy but there are a number of issues of detail about which we are awaiting further advice and information," the spokesperson said.

The Government is expected to introduce legislation for its filtering plan later this year.

Optus has been contacted for comment.