au: Net-nanny state worth watching – State censorship always raises difficult questions

From the moment the internet was declared the new frontier of free speech and expression, governments everywhere have agonised over how to control it. For totalitarian regimes, free political speech represents a direct threat. For law-enforcement agencies, the ability of terrorists to build networks more easily increases the risks to public safety. For parents, the fear that chat-room sex-pests are stalking children is one more thing to worry about. It is understandable that governments want to aid police and give parents peace of mind. The decentralised nature of the internet makes exerting control over what is on it difficult. Nonetheless, state censorship is a growing trend worldwide.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22999432-16741,00.html

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