NEW ZEALAND –Students and pundits are up in arms over Christian-sponsored anti-porn software that blocks not only access to adult Web sites, but also to leftist political forums and Web sites on sexuality and health.
The software was approved by Education Minister Trevor Mallard as part of a $9.5 million effort to assist schools in filtering out offensive material and preventing hackers from tampering with computer systems. It was developed by the Watchdog Corporation, which has been linked to fundamentalist Christian organizations. Offered for free, the software is used by some 500 schools throughout the country.
Following reports that it prevented access to a number of alternative-themed Web sites (such as political form infoshop.org and current affairs portal gaynz.com), the software has been referred to as “subversive censorship” by a number of education officials, students and activists. Though Watchdog has said non-pornographic gay content is not blacklisted by the filtering software, one user reported he was not able to access HappyClappingHomos.com, a satirical site mocking fundamentalist Christians.
Watchdog Managing Editor Peter Mancer refused to comment to the Weekend Herald, the newspaper that broke the story, instead referring all questions to the Ministry of Education. When reached, a spokesperson for the ministry said requests to unlock individual sites would be honored.
Association of Rationalists and Humanists Secretary Paul Litterick was quoted as saying, “They’re just taking out the bits [of the Internet] that they don’t want and not allowing anybody to see them.”
Despite the brouhaha, Takapuna Grammar school said it will stand by the software. “The extent of the Internet and the rapid proliferation of exploitive material mean that schools need a first-level system to make some general judgments about access,” said Acting Principal Terry Holding.
The government-funded Internet Safety Group weighed in on the controversy as well, with Director Liz Butterfield commenting that it was possible some of the non-pornographic sites could have been blocked accidentally. She added that schools have the flexibility to unblock certain sites if access is desired.
It was reported that Mallard is currently seeking advisement from officials after receiving a complaint from a Takapuna Grammar student.
