Australia to test ISP-level Internet filtering

The Australian government is moving ahead with public testing of Internet filtering systems designed to block pornographic content at the ISP level. The tests will be started soon in Tasmania, using filtering systems from various vendors, despite the fact that previous government studies indicated that ISP filtering is not likely to be effective.

The government last year announced its intention of implementing an Internet filtering system. Three separate government-funded studies have indicated, however, that ISP-level filters would be less effective and more costly than individual PC filters.

Pornography on Dallas library computers

The Dallas Morning News published a report on January 15, 2008 claiming that 7.5 percent of the web pages viewed on the computers in the Dallas central library were pornographic. This statement was based on the review of a 45-minute period on Dec. 19, during which "...central library computer users accessed more than 5,200 Web pages containing identifiably pornographic material, such as photographs depicting full nudity, intercourse and other sex acts." City officials responded that installing pornography-filtering software on library computers "...is probably warranted."

Older, more thorough studies suggest that the 7.5 percent figure may be a little high. In 2000, David Burt, a filtering advocate, estimated that between 0.5 and 2.5 percent of web pages viewed in libraries were pornographic. In 1999, a study by the Chicago Public Library claimed that less than 5% of the Internet sites viewed on their computers were pornographic.