Canada's biggest internet service providers have announced that they are installing filters to block illegal child exploitation content from their customers.
The participating ISPs, which so far include Bell Aliant, Bell Canada, MTS Allstream, Rogers, SaskTel, Shaw Communications Inc., TELUS, and Videotron. The ISPs, all of which are carriers, have the overwhelming majority of Canadian internet access subscribers.
Critics are fast to draw parallels to Internet censorship in countries such as China. Nevertheless, those countries involve state-based content blocking, with no transparency or legal recourse.
In fact, several democracies — most notably Australia — have recognized limited blocking rules, while British Telecom, the UK's largest ISP, voluntarily blocks child pornography as part of its Clean Feed program.
Even with various legal safeguards, many Canadians would certainly find the blocking of any content offensive.
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