ISPs force rewrite of law | Australian IT

• ISPs force rewrite of law | Australian IT

  tags: intermediary liability

  • INTERNET lobbyists have forestalled a law that could turn internet service providers into online sheriffs.

    The federal government has substantially rewritten a bill intended to protect computer networks before its tabling in parliament by Attorney-General Robert McClelland.

    Electronic Frontiers Australia spokesman Geordie Guy said it was unclear if the draft Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment Bill was an "attempt to sneak through" a wholesale expansion of intercepts of private emails and file-sharing or merely a badly drafted bill.

    "There was an incredibly short two-week consultation period but it only takes one of our members to notice what is going on and wave the flag," he said. "The bill is now significantly less broad, and its scope is essentially limited to those (monitoring) government agency networks."