Internet Industry Association

Under the scheme, the Government is providing free PC-based filters for Australian families to help them to supervise and control their children’s online activities.  The filters available under this scheme have been independently tested to ensure ease of installation, ease of use, effectiveness and compliance with the requirement that they support ACMA notifications regarding prohibited content.  

Some of the filters recognised under the NetAlert scheme are also IIA ‘family friendly filters’ – tested by the IIA’s independent test facility to meet similar criteria to the NetAlert scheme.  The Family Friendly filters are available under IIA’s three industry Codes of Practice, in place since January 2000.

These Codes require ISPs to make available filters to their customers at cost price. (The IIA is currently reviewing these Codes in the light of the new NetAlert scheme to determine how the two schemes can better integrate, and to assist industry compliance and eliminate duplication or confusion for users). 

Importantly, families who are concerned that PC-based filters are less practical for their particular home situation are able, under the IIA Codes, to access optional ISP level filtering. This option is offered by some ISPs, but tends to be less customisable and suffers other disadvantages. But it is there for those who need it.

The Government has recently announced that all ISPs will be required provide an optional ISP level filtered service. The IIA is working with the Government to determine the feasibility of implementing such a scheme. 

Filters No Magic Bullet 

It is the longstanding position of the IIA that the use of filters is not and has never been intended as a replacement for adequate parental supervision, particularly of young children.  

Nowadays, the greater risks for young children online are a product of contact threats as opposed to exposure to content eg web pages. Contact threats can arise, for example, in chat rooms where children can be inappropriately approached by adults seeking to communicate with them.

Fortunately, the new generation of PC-based filters allow parents to limit or restrict access to chat and other functions. In this regard they offer more customisable solutions than ‘one-size-fits-all’ solutions, which most ISP based filtering solutions entail. 

It is for this reason that the IIA remains opposed to mandatory ISP level filtering – whereby the internet connections of all Australians are filtered. The problems with this are explained in our position paper of April 2006.

The IIA is disappointed that there remain calls by some political parties for mandatory internet level filtering – particularly in the lead up to the election where the policy environment is heated. We would prefer to see an adequate examination of the merits for such policies including the effectiveness and possible unintended consequences of imposing mandatory server level filtering on the entire population. 

In view of the changing nature of the medium, we believe that empowering Australian families remains the best option to address the risks the internet may from time to time present.

Rare instances may exist where particularly gifted teenagers with access controls over the home computer (something we don’t recommend) are able to disable PC filters. This does not constitute policy failure. In the vast majority of cases, children – particularly those most at risk – will not have the capacity to do this and, in any event, demonstrates once again, that adequate parental engagement with what kids are doing online is the best way to support safe and appropriate online behaviour in the home.

Laws, filters, industry support – all these are tools to assist, but never replace this primary responsibility.  We believe that most Australian internet users understand and support this view.