back to article AFP terrifies MPs with ‘net pr0n tales

According to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian Federal Police has warned a group of Australian parliamentarians that the country’s planned National Broadband Network (NBN) will “make it harder” for them to “track people downloading and sharing child pornography”. The AFP has warned the parliamentarians that …

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  1. Maksim Rukov
    Big Brother

    think of the children!

    I don't want children to be exploited, no-one does, but this is idiocy. This reminds me of the McCarthyist paranoia regarding communism. A massive over-reaction that does way more harm than good.

    Our polticians are very keen to act prudish on any censorship matter. Take the Great Firewall of Australia, Customs laws requiring laptops and USB storage to be checked, and over-reaction to anything involving children (Google Bill Henson and David Traynor if you need convincing). All part of a desire to fight child porn, all a waste of time and effort.

    I would like to think support for progressive parties like the Greens and the Sex Party will fix this mess, but sadly I suspect we'll have to wait for generational change.

    ... I feel better after that rant.

    1. Tasogare

      "All part of a desire to fight child porn"

      No, it isn't. It's about a desire to be *perceived* to be fighting child porn. Actually fighting it, or being effective at it, are beside the point. Generational change won't fix it; the public boogeyman involved might be different but the purpose remains the same.

      Just as it's easier to sell via advertising than via having a good product, it's easier to fake public service than provide a real one. And the public is more likely to support the fake; it costs less and steps on fewer toes.

    2. Paul 129

      It needs a world wide movement....

      Cause this hysteria is not regional. we seem to be more puritanical than people in the Victorian era. I blame the media, poll driven politicians, and way too much FUD!

      David Traynor links (the guy who was found guilty of child having child exploitation material on his computer. When the book in question was on the shelves of local books stores, and had been for years)

      http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/03/04/211601_scalesofjustice.html

      http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/03/01/211035_most-popular-stories.html

      http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/03/03/211301_tasmania-news.html

      CROWD: A witch! A witch! A witch! We've got a witch! A witch!

      VILLAGER #1: We have found a witch, might we burn her?

      CROWD: Burn her! Burn!

      BEDEMIR: What makes you think she is a witch?

      VILLAGER #3: Well, she turned me into a newt.

      BEDEMIR: A newt?

      VILLAGER #3: I got better.

      VILLAGER #2: Burn her anyway!

      CROWD: Burn! Burn her!

  2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    Simple algorithm

    The police wan't more money/staff/powers

    Politicians want to be seen to be doing something about a problem.

    So police create perception of a problem - present it to politicians - police get more money/staff/powers.

    If politicians not convinced by problem add child porn, terrorism, WMD, witchcraft, cancer or drugs label to problem.

  3. Goat Jam

    The AFP

    The AFP are a bunch of prize numpties. These are the same dipsticks that were responsible for the appalling Dr Haneef episode as well as their comically inept handling of the root-you-org incident.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhamed_Haneef

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/18/r00t_y0u_sting_backfires/

    I wouldn't be at all surprised if they truly believe the hogwash they are spouting here.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    LOL SMH

    Saw this article on SMH this morning, typically they dont allow comments though.

    I read it and thought not much of this makes any sense, my opinion is the AFP are just using the NBN as an excuse to get more power, possibly because they are lazy and incompetent or more likely something more nefarious is going on... yeah tinfoil hats and all that junk, tell me something how exactly do you tell the difference between a conspiracy theory and an actual conspiracy?

  5. Grumpy Old Fart

    Where's a wowser icon when you need one?

    Usual form then, any change at all is an excuse for the bureaucracy to generate some more fear and grab some more power.

    Interesting point about where the misinformation is coming from...surely all three 'layers' will be eager to demonise the tubes? Police for the power grab of data retention, Libs for the anti-NBN fuel, press for the fear factor (anonymous internet users ate my baby!).

  6. Roger Jenkins

    Careful

    'So it’s hardly surprising that with a new network on the way, the AFP would start tilling the soil and planting the seeds that might one day yield a fine crop of new interception and wiretap powers. ®'

    You have to be careful, I see the feds are looking at banning a large number of garden plants on the basis of the possibility of them containing banned drugs. All that tilling and planting may get someone arrested.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    “Parliamentarians Against Child Abuse”

    Are we to infer from the presense of this group that those parliamentarians who are not members are either undecided or in favor of child abuse?

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    AFP comment is Old News

    The AFP did submit a report back in JUNE 2010 about cyber-crime threats, of which NBN was just a single example of, on the second last paragraph of page 8

    "The proliferation of a large number of RSPs has the potential to increase the difficulty law enforcement has to obtain telecommunications data.

    According the March 2011 SMH article:

    'Due to there being a large number of service providers currently and emerging in the telecommunications industry, this has the potential to increase the difficulty for law enforcement to obtain telecommunications data", an AFP spokeswoman said.

    Look similar?

    Read the original sentence in context, and you will see that they were simply giving NBN as an example of how the AFP is working with other, including the Govt, on addressing many issues, including NBN.

  9. jwbam

    Original AFP report

    See page 8 of:

    http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jscc/subs/sub_64.pdf

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Actually this makes perfect sence.

    At present different ISP's in Aus respond to law enforcement requests in different ways, some have log files dating back further, some have a quicker turnaround, and they all charge different amounts to service such requests.

    Today in many cases a criminals chance of being caught, rests with his or her choice of provider.

    My guess is the AFP's point is that the NBN will exasperate this issue, and without legislation, it may not be imediately obvious which party the request needs to be directed to, or how fresh a request needs to be to stand a chance of being serviced etc etc.

    Obviously this wont be an issue in the future when we all have IPv6 and our mac addresses logged at point of sale. Regardless Conroys magical interweb cleaning machine will make all crime impossible.

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