Big Brother Filter Plan Insults Parents

Underlying the Rudd Government’s plan to screen the internet is an offensive message: that parents cannot be trusted to mind their children online. Adult supervision should be front and centre of the effort to improve online safety, a responsibility accepted by most parents, grandparents, teachers and carers. But the Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, seems to think differently: filtering content at internet service provider level is central to the Government’s plan to make the internet a safer place for children. There is no technological substitute for adult supervision and it’s irresponsible and misleading to infer otherwise. Mandating a so-called clean feed has the potential to create a dangerous false sense of security, leading parents to believe ongoing supervision and vigilance is no longer needed