Aussie web content filtering idea not that clever, say Google and Yahoo

Following the announcement at the end of last year that the Australian government is planning on going in for a bit of internet censorship - for the good of the populace, of course - two new voices have joined the chorus of dissent.

Aussie communications minister Stephen Conroy is the brains behind the plan, which has been dubbed 'the great firewall of Australia' - and he has already trialled a system of censorship by public complaint, using an independent body to decide which sites to block on the basis of how much public outrage they have succeeded in causing. Any site considered RC - that is 'Refused Classification' - will be blocked by ISPs preventing all public access.

The idea's strongest critics have been swift and vocal in their condemnation of the filtering, citing concerns over freedom of speech, and referring to the filter as 'handing control of the internet to the moral minority'. But there still fears among those with more moderate views that the filtering system might be a step too far, with groups such as the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Inspire Foundation claiming that the subjects covered by RC are too diverse to successfully implement a ban.

And now search giants Google and Yahoo have joined in the call for the Australian government to 'rethink' the controversial plan, making public their submissions to the government's consultation process.