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Legal Information

Content Regulation

The Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Act 1999 became effective on January 1, 2000. In accordance with amended Australian Government legislation, Vicnet is now obliged to notify users within Australia about issues relating to Internet content. Also see the Vicnet Net Censorship page.

As outlined in the legislation, Vicnet is not required to filter or in any way block content, nor is Vicnet required to ensure that members install or operate these filters recommended for use. The legislation does, however, require us to give our members reasonable information and tools to make an informed decision.

Complaints about Internet content
Members of the public may complain to the ABA about Internet content which is, or may be, prohibited by law. The law defines Internet content as stored information which is accessed over an Internet carriage service, including material on the World Wide Web, postings on newsgroups and bulletin boards, and other files that can be downloaded from an archive or library. More info: Complaints to ABA

Some suggestions to block content which you may already have on your machine are as follows:

A good general rule (and part of our Acceptable Use Policy) is never to hand your Vicnet password out to anybody else. This limits time spent on the PC to sessions which can be supervised by you.

Users of Internet Explorer 5 (a copy of which is available on the Vicnet CD-ROM or from here) contains control measures that can be implemented by members. Go to the Tools menu and select Internet Options. In here you can change various settings to control content.

Alternatively you could purchase a copy of Internet Filter Software. Vicnet has compiled a list of Approved third party Filter Software, which we have reviewed and that may assist our users.

Cyber Patrol
from Microsystems Software Inc. (a subsidiary of The Learning Company)
Both end user and server based. May be configured to operate using exclusion or inclusion lists. According to the manufacturers: "used to manage Internet access, limit the total time spent online and restrict access to Internet sites deemed inappropriate".
Contact: Lanvision Pty Ltd, Unit 10, 175 Gibbes Street, Chatswood NSW 2057 - Tel: (02) 9882 0088 Email: support@lanvision.com.au

eyeguard
from EYE-t Technology (Aust) Pty Ltd
An end-user product, which analyses images as they are received.
Contact: Eye-t Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, Level 12, 100 Walker Street, North Sydney NSW 2060 - Tel: (02) 9966 1202 Email: info@eye-t.com.au

SurfWatch
from JSB Software Technologies PLC
An exclusion list filtering product, which is available in several forms: client software, in a server version, and also as a toolkit. The bottom line, according to Michael Sears, SurfWatch's general manager, is that there is "no way anyone could block" every offensive site. Further, he said it is impossible to guarantee that innocuous sites won't be thrown out with the bathwater.
Contact Techex Communications Pty Ltd, 13 / 5 Vuko Place, Warriewood, NSW 2102 - Tel: (02) 9970 5488 Email: support@techex.com.au

Net Nanny
Allows you to monitor, screen and block access to anything residing on, or running in your PC, whether you are connected to the Internet or not, and in real time. Net Nanny allows you to filter and block: Internet Web sites, Newsgroups, Chat channels, Personal information, Words and phrases

Our Support Help Desk is available 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 12pm to 4pm Saturday, should you wish to clarify the requirements further: Tel Vicnet on (03) 8664 7001.

Other sites of interest: