Internet Filtering: A contradiction
Despite mounting pressure from the Telco / ISP industry, the Federal Government is pushing forward with its intended internet filtering trials.
The Communications Minister Senator Conroy has recently called for ISPs to volunteer for internet filtering trials, that may lead to eventual universal ISP level internet filtering across Australia. The Government claims that the ISP level filtering will alleviate the evils of the internet, including child pornography.
Mythbuster: Communications Alliance Codes aren’t ‘the law’
There’s a myth around that industry codes, formerly known as ACIF Codes but these days generated by the Communications Alliance, are merely voluntary. They are not ‘the law’.
This myth is based on a misunderstanding of the process behind codes and the reasoning behind the process.
Communications Alliance Codes sure aren’t just voluntary.
The confusion arises because the Telecommunications Act tries not to be heavy-handed on this topic. But there’s a gloved hand not far away.
3 signs up for new Consumer Code
The Communications Alliance has announced: ‘Hutchison 3G Australia Pty Ltd (3 mobile) has become the first signatory to the new code designed to protect telecommunications consumers.’
They’re talking about the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code, a consolidation of six previous codes that had become topsy-turvy.
3 has shown leadership by voluntarily signing up to the TCP Code. But providers who don’t sign on the dotted line still can’t ignore it.
September 29, 2008 | Filed in Telecommunications Act | Leave a Comment
CSPs fail simple compliance test
It’s surprising how many service providers trip up on basic compliance requirements. We surveyed 36 Aussie CSPs against a simple benchmark. 21 of them failed.
The smaller the company, the more likely it was to get the requirement wrong. But Adam Internet, Crazy John’s and Soul Mobile all got it wrong, too.
Targeted advertising: privacy debate heats up
Under the headline ‘Doubts rise over ISP ad targeting’, theage.com.au has reported a major groundswell of resistance to new technologies from companies like NebuAd, Phorm and Front Porch.
The systems offer ISPs ‘free money’ for facilitating targeted advertising using analysis of their IP stream. According to the article, privacy concerns have sparked a backlash that is scaring US broadband providers away from the new revenue opportunity.
In Australia, CSP Central thinks the position is even starker for ISPs. In certain situations, operation of the systems will be a criminal offence.
Managing your SFoA summary delivery
Some CSPs do it well, and many fail to do it at all. A copy of your Standard Form of Agreement summary has to be given to customers at the start of the contract, and then a short reminder each two years.
Are you compliant ? Can you prove it ?
Here are some hints for getting it right.
Targeted advertising shouldn’t be a crime
An outdated data privacy law threatens to outlaw targeted advertising technologies. In fact, the Telecommunications Act could make the systems criminal.
The law should be modernised for the 2000s.