Australia Blocks More Torrent Sites

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TLD

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Ultimate Geek

#222595 20-Aug-2017 09:46

I saw this on BBC News yesterday. The Australian Federal Court has ordered ISPs to block 59 'illegal' streaming and torrent sites. There are some interesting stats in the article, like that Oz was the worst country for piracy on the planet in 2014. Way to go Australia!

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-40976600

I'm a bit surprised that NZ has not followed their lead, and I'm wondering if the blocks can be bypassed if (or when) it happens?

Sorry if this the in the wrong forum.

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

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Baby Get Shaky!
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#1849075 20-Aug-2017 10:03

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I assume that this is DNS level blocking so a change in DNS servers (to say Google or OpenDNS) would get around this quick smart?

kyhwana2

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#1849083 20-Aug-2017 10:10

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The DIA has specifically stated that their filter isn't to be used for copyright infringement based filtering, so keep an eye out in case they go back on that one..

PhantomNVD

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#1849084 20-Aug-2017 10:13

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Any VPN service would evade that filter too....

elpenguino

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#1849160 20-Aug-2017 12:27

TLD:

I saw this on BBC News yesterday. The Australian Federal Court has ordered ISPs to block 59 'illegal' streaming and torrent sites. There are some interesting stats in the article, like that Oz was the worst country for piracy on the planet in 2014. Way to go Australia!

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-40976600

I'm a bit surprised that NZ has not followed their lead, and I'm wondering if the blocks can be bypassed if (or when) it happens?

Sorry if this the in the wrong forum.

I noticed Google didn't exactly overload me with helpful answers when I recently searched for a torrent either.

TLD

705 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1849300 20-Aug-2017 17:49

I expect you know this, but just in case, TorrentFreak is the go to site for torrent news. I see it has an article on the Ozi blockade as well.

https://torrentfreak.com/

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

reven

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#1849330 20-Aug-2017 18:33

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i really dont like this, i believe the net should be free and open. I know they want to combat piracy, but combat the cause of it. making stuff cheap/easier to view legally than illegal, netflix etc.

TLD

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Ultimate Geek

#1849354 20-Aug-2017 19:35

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reven:

i really dont like this, i believe the net should be free and open. I know they want to combat piracy, but combat the cause of it. making stuff cheap/easier to view legally than illegal, netflix etc.

It's hard to have sympathy for the TV and movie companies. I can remember when the music companies created dreadfully about streaming sites killing the CD market, for instance, but nowadays, streaming is making them richer than ever. This article on Forbes about the World's 100 best paid celebrities of 2017 says that Beyoncé has made >US$100,000,000 mostly from streamed music. Dwayne Johnson (who he?) apparently made US$64 million last year, and I think I read that Emma Stone made $80 million from La La land. The ironic thing about that last one, is who the heck is going to download a dodgy copy of La La Land?!

Trevor Dennis
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PhantomNVD

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#1849356 20-Aug-2017 19:39

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TLD: who the heck is going to download a dodgy copy of La La Land?!

Just because you asked:
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/piracy-screeners-la-la-land-arrival-leak-online-hollywood-awards-season-hive-cm8-2017-1?r=UK&IR=T

chevrolux

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#1849359 20-Aug-2017 19:45

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Don't like it one bit. First filtering to combat piracy, next filtering news sites because they don't align with the government's current opinion.

Also, how much is it really going to stop things. Next most common google search in AU... "how do I access piratebay"... first result

Then there are all the free VPN services around. When a school kid can download a VPN client, filtering at the ISP level is achieving nothing.

blakamin

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#1849362 20-Aug-2017 19:47

I takes about 2 seconds to get around the block. Change DNS.

And we've had pirate bay blocked for ages apparently. Who knew?

I don't use my ISPs DNS. Haven't since I had issues with TelstraClear cable DNS in NZ. Telstra here sucked for DNS issues too.

hio77

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#1849437 20-Aug-2017 20:44

streaming sites aswell as torrent sites? hmm... least they get that out of the way..

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

1101

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#1849661 21-Aug-2017 09:37

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Some NZ ISPs are blocking some file sharing sites
Blocked at a DNS level only, so any idiot can find a workaround

So Aus blocks some torrent sites, another will popup to take its place
They will allways be several steps behind, unless they go like China & have a country level firewall that can block nearly everything . And have strict laws
with heavy punishments regarding this sort of thing

Talkiet

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#1849677 21-Aug-2017 10:08

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reven:

i really dont like this, i believe the net should be free and open. I know they want to combat piracy, but combat the cause of it. making stuff cheap/easier to view legally than illegal, netflix etc.

[devilsadvocate]

I don't like the fact that people steal stuff, I know they want to combat breaking and entering, but combat the cause of it - unemployment, education, familial dysfunction etc - don't just prosecute people for breaking and entering or stealing stuff

[/devilsadvocate]

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are the product of my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

Talkiet

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#1849680 21-Aug-2017 10:10

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1101:

Some NZ ISPs are blocking some file sharing sites

https://xkcd.com/285/

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are the product of my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

Rikkitic

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#1849693 21-Aug-2017 10:15

The politicians who vote for these kinds of things usually don't understand how they work. They are just doing something to make themselves feel better.

There is no technological solution to this. It is just an endless game of whack-a-mole. As pointed out above, the only repressive solution that would work even a little is something like China's. Even the Great Firewall can be circumvented, but the penalties can be severe. That would not be accepted in the West, unless we abandon democracy altogether.

I don't think there is ever a bad time to talk about how absurd war is, how old men make decisions and young people die. - George Clooney

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