[clug] OT: Protesting the proposed clean feed?

[Robert Edwards]

Alex Satrapa wrote:
> On 23/10/2008, at 09:25 , Nathan Rickerby wrote:
> 
>> The outcomes could be distilled, simplified and described
>> in non-technical language, some open source solutions could be proposed.
> 
> No!
> 
> This is not a technical problem looking for a technical solution.

Correct - this is a socio-political issue.

However, in any correspondence sent to the minister (and I hope there
is a lot), we should recognise the problem that they are trying to
solve and to point out that there are some solutions, including
free/open-source technical solutions, as well as social/active parenting
solutions (which don't really help the educator that has a classroom of
kids to supervise) and others. These solutions can be applied by
individuals rather than having to be government-imposed. And active
computing groups like CLUG are only too willing to help people who want
such a technical solution to get one set up.(!)

As Dale Baldwin pointed out in his anti-socialist posting under point 8:
"Always give a viable alternative" (although I don't think his example
alternative would gain much traction in this debate...).

Cheers,

Bob Edwards.

> 
> This is a problem of politics. It's not about "we want to have a filter 
> to stop our kiddies seeing bad men shoving things up their bums," it's 
> about "I want to be perceived as having done something and taken 
> decisive action."
> 
> What is needed here is a way to take the clue bat to the pollies and 
> point out to them that even China can't get internet filtering right. 
> The only way to protect kids from stuff you don't want them to see is to 
> poke their eyes out. But then they'll just hear it instead.
> 
> Alex
>