[Chapter-delegates] Internet Filtering

[Tony Hill]

Hi Omar

Some work has been done on filtering in Australia, because the new 
government has some plans for centralised filtering.

The previous work seems to be from 2006, but a government supported 
agency called NetAlert, A Study on Server Based Internet Filters: 
Accuracy, Broadband Performance Degradation and some Effects on the User 
Experience, see:
http://www.netalert.gov.au/programs/research.html

Unfortunately, it looks like that report is not available for download 
from the NetAlert site.  My memory is that it showed up to 70% reduction 
in download speeds.  The report is quoted elsewhere as saying:
The research shows that network performance was reduced by 18 per cent 
for the best performing filter and almost 78 per cent on the worst 
performing filter. The research also demonstrated variable filter 
performance across the different categories of restricted content.
see: http://libertus.net/censor/ispfiltering-au-govplan.html
2006 NetAlert Research

Also, check out reports by the Australian Communications and Media 
Authority.  See Developments in Internet Filtering Technologies and 
Other Measures for Promoting Online Safety (PDF 2.1mb), online at:
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_90266

There is also this nice piece of news about how quickly a new Internet 
filter could be hacked by a 16 year old:
http://librariesinteract.info/2008/02/28/australias-internet-filter-a-failure/

I hope this info is helpful.

regards, Tony Hill
ISOC Australia

Omar D. Al-Sahili wrote:
> Dear All;
> 
> Internet filtering for porno and Adult sites is now being discussed in
> Palestine at the backbone level. As it’s being piloted, it is causing
> ridiculously slow Internet traffic. The funny thing is that some ISPs
> provide filtered connections for households and that did not cause much
> slowness.
> 
> I would appreciate some feedback of similar country's experiences about this
> issue and especially on the technical side and not the concept itself. I
> understand that the effectiveness and success of Internet filtering that is
> a debate on its own. 
> 
> So simply, how does Internet filtering affect the speed of regular Internet
> browsing.
> 
> 
> Regards.
>  
> Omar D. Al-Sahili
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> ISOC Palestine
> osahili at gmail.com
> osahili at hotmail.com
> osahili @ Skype
>  
> 
> 
> 
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