Optus to launch filter later this month as Internode says no

Vic Govt commits new funding for program (Credit: Lars P./Flickr)

Optus has confirmed they’ll be the third internet provider in Australia to switch on a voluntary filter, as rival Internode re-affirmed their position on the scheme.

In a statement yesterday, an Optus spokesperson confirmed the telco would soon switch on the filter, and that like Telstra and CyberOne it too will be based off Interpol’s list of child abuse websites.

Interpol’s list is used by a number of organisations across the world as a basis for websites which should be filtered because of the strict criteria which is required to be met before a site is added to the list – in other words, assurance that sites that are blocked aren’t influenced by politics or other external forces.

When asked if Optus had begun to filter websites yet following the switch on by Telstra and CyberOne last Friday, an Optus spokesperson said no but confirmed ”we will however start blocking the Interpol list later this month.”

Meanwhile, rival internet provider Internode has re-affirmed their position on the voluntary filter scheme, telling customers that they have no plans at all to impose the voluntary filter on customers unless forced to by law.

“We don’t know, and are not responsible for, whatever motivations are driving Telstra and Optus to participate in whatever it is, exactly, that they’re participating in here,” Internode’s CEO Simon Hackett posted on Australian forum site Whirlpool this morning.

“We feel that if the government wishes to pass a law that has the effect of legally requiring us to do something, thats fine – we’ll do it. Until then, we will wait and watch with interest.”

The remaining internet provider with plans to join the scheme is iPrimus – but they’ve begun wavering in their resolve for the proposal, recently refusing to confirm or deny if they still planned to support the controversial scheme.