Comments on: Stephen Conroy: Who do you want in charge of the internet – Facebook or me?

By: Steve Hinch

Steve Hinch — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:29:22 +0000

One of the first economic societies in the world, was established in 1765 in Saint Petersburg by a group of wealthy landowners led by Count Grigory Orlov. With the likes of Arthur Young and Jacques Necker among its honorary members, the Society was “supposed to publicize advanced methods of farming and estate management as practiced in foreign countries.
Despite the Society’s self-professed independence, the mastermind behind its early activity was Catherine II of Russia, who viewed agriculture as the mainstay of Russia’s economy. She endowed the Society with funds for a library and a building on Palace Square; it was she who secretly suggested a famous essay competition on the subject “What is more beneficial to society — that the peasant should have land as property, or only movable property, and how far should the right of property be extended?” Today the internet is the modern worlds new “land” rush that will drive global commerce and it seems that Stephen Conroy aspires to be the modern day Catherine II, but we all know what happened to Russia. Try to stick with politics Stephen and maybe one day you will get good at it

By: Nic Halley

Nic Halley — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:52:42 +0000

there hasn’t been an Australian politician this out of his depth since Harold Holt

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:31:02 +0000

Even in godfearing Toowoomba, Conroy’s schtick ain’t playing:

http://www.australianews.com.a.....8c79f1f680

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:34:39 +0000

I’d rather Facebook to be in charge, to be honest, if the only alternative was Conroy.

By: May 31st: the end of Facebook? « whitu's witterings

May 31st: the end of Facebook? « whitu's witterings — Mon, 31 May 2010 11:31:38 +0000

[...] if we are to believe Australian Media Minister, Stephen Conroy, Facebook went from being the unloved geeks at the University they never graduated from, to the [...]

By: Dr Nick

Dr Nick — Sun, 30 May 2010 08:45:07 +0000

To – Phil Collins

You, like Stephen Conroy are confusing the issues. Stephen Conroy may well be right about the breaches of Australian laws, and those organisation like many others should feel the full weight of the law. But it has nothing to do about whether Governments should take on the role of deciding what content we read or not. Governments can use regulations and the legislature to help shape the rights of the community, not to control the rights of the community. In some ways you appear to contradict yourself. The article you link to talks of a business owner who suffers due to the unilateral impact of a decisions by google to shut his marketing and tech services down – hasn’t this already happened when the government tested its filter – unilateral exclusion of businesses who are operating inside the law. If you don’t like google , you shouldn’t like the filter!

By: Phil Collins

Phil Collins — Thu, 27 May 2010 04:13:37 +0000

Why Conroy is right about Google & Facebook: http://www.commsday.com/commsday/?p=1071

By: John Grono

John Grono — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:36:33 +0000

Can someone please decree at least a modicum of correct spelling and grammar?

By: c,Beresford

c,Beresford — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:16:07 +0000

Please prosecute that criminal for Misconduct in Public office,,,,
It is common Law as is Murder as is this

common Law solonThis is why the Athenian Law maker solon decreaded it a crime for any citizen to shrink from controversy (common Law) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solon

This would be Criminal Misconduct in Public office if they did. And I’m sure we all want opposition and debate.

By: Conroy transcript shows detailed pre-planned attack on Google ‘hypocrites” and ‘rogue’ Facebook - mUmBRELLA

Wed, 26 May 2010 05:26:07 +0000

[...] previously reported, Conroy attacked Google and Facebook for privacy [...]

By: Jim Stewart

Jim Stewart — Wed, 26 May 2010 04:55:37 +0000

@Phil Collins – I suspect you’re just stirring but it won’t affect us. Here’s why – it’s already broken before it’s taken out of the box. Here’s the video that ABC Q And A just deleted because it was “instructing people on how to get porn”. It demonstrates I hope what an absolute waste & folly the filter is http://jimboot.com/fun-with-the-filter

By: Official: 93% prefer internet life under a profit-sucking behemoth to Conroyland - mUmBRELLA

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:23:51 +0000

[...] may recall that yesterday, media minister Stephen Conroy opened fire on Facebook, asking the question: “What would you prefer?’ A corporate giant who is answerable to [...]

By: SimonB

SimonB — Tue, 25 May 2010 14:03:12 +0000

I can’t believe (sorry, I truly can’t) the incompetence of our politicians these days. FFS, I know the back story behind how this happened (well, Google’s version of it. which seems plausible to me). Stephen Conroy looked like a little child having a dummy spit in from of the Committee today.

I totally agree with Chris Berkeley’s comment above. A sad, sad state of affairs. I simply could not believe it when I heard this on AM this morning.

Along with the farcical Super Profits Tax (aka lets tax the shit out of the mining industry, they’re the ONLY ones making SUPER profits [disclosure - I work for one]),

Australia must be becoming the laughing stock of the rest of the world.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 25 May 2010 11:55:03 +0000

“trust me, I’m a politician”

By: Peter Hinton

Peter Hinton — Tue, 25 May 2010 09:22:34 +0000

Conroy’s argument is totally flawed. A corporate giant is just as susceptible to public opinion and the Federal Government. You could, in fact, argue that it is more venerable to the whims of the people than our politicians. You only have to look at the loooooong list of companies that have gone under for not delivering what people want. And corporate giants face an election every day NOT every three years.

Get real Conroy!