Australia Considering Review of Website Blacklist

CANBERRA, Australia — The federal government is considering having a panel of eminent Australians or a parliamentary committee review its secret blacklist of banned websites to try to increase "transparency" in the proposed Internet censorship plan.

The controversial Internet filtering plan, which has been under consideration in various forms for years, is based on blocking websites on a prepared "blacklist" at the ISP level.

Communications Minister Sen. Stephen Conroy told a Senate hearing that the government was "considering options for greater transparency and accountability in respect of the blacklist," including a regular review of the list by a panel of eminent persons or parliamentary committee or a review of complaints by the classification board.

The blacklist of sites, which has existed since 2000, contains a reported 977 websites and is maintained by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Sites are added to the list based on complaints from the public, groups and law enforcement agencies. Authority officials have reported a 90 percent increase in complaints about websites in the last 18 months, and attributed this to greater public awareness of the list.

The list has been given to the makers of Internet filters, but publication of the list is a criminal offense. This has led to objections that websites could be listed without their knowledge and without any opportunity to challenge their inclusion.

In March, a whistleblower website published a list of websites it claimed was the blacklist. The list included child porn, bestiality, rape and extreme violence sites — but also online poker sites and the website of a dentist.

The filtering proposal has attracted criticism on free speech grounds. Critics also say it will be ineffective and will slow Internet speeds.

Some 30,000 Internet users have been invited to participate in trials of the filtering system through nine Internet service providers. Conroy said the results of the trials, which are expected to end in July, would be considered along with possible transparency measures before the Government makes a final decision on implementation of the filtering policy. Conroy has promised to release a report on the results of the trials.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Ofcom Releases Transparency Reporting Guidelines

Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator, has made public its official guidance detailing how online service providers — including adult sites — will be required to publish annual transparency reports on their efforts to protect children from online harms.

New AV Rules Take Effect for Ireland-Based Platforms

Ireland’s Online Safety Code came into force Monday, including a provision requiring adult sites headquartered in Ireland to implement age assurance measures beyond self-declaration.

XBIZ Amsterdam Calls on New Startups for 'Spotlight' Program

XBIZ is pleased to announce that its new “Startup Spotlight” programming will make its European premiere at XBIZ Amsterdam 2025, set to take place Sept. 2-5 at the Jakarta Hotel Amsterdam.

Texas Resumes AV Lawsuit Against Aylo Following SCOTUS Decision

A district court judge in Texas has unfrozen the state’s $1.6 million lawsuit against Aylo for allegedly failing to comply with age verification requirements, Bloomberg Law is reporting.

JuicyAds Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

JuicyAds has won its World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the company's site and defraud customers.

Anissa Kate, Jordan Starr Top AEBN for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top-selling stars for the second quarter of 2025, with Anissa Kate landing atop the leaderboard for straight theaters and Jordan Starr heading up the gay rankings.

AEBN Reveals Eva Maxim as Top Trans Star for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top trans stars list for the second quarter of 2025, with Eva Maxim landing atop the leaderboard.

France Reinstates Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

France’s highest court, the Council of State, on Tuesday reinstated age verification rules for EU-based sites under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law, ruling in favor of the French government and against Hammy Media.

Show More