Report on Newcastle Consumer Consultation Meeting, 23 June 2004
The meeting was held at University House, King St, Newcastle, at 10:00am on 23 June 2004. ISOC-AU would like to thank Trevor Gerdsen, Executive Director Infrastructure Services, University of Newcastle, Executive Assistant Vicki Caesar, and ISOC-AU director Gerry White for facilitating the meeting. Attendees were advised that this consultation process is supported by funding from the Department of Communications, IT and the Arts.
Participants had a wide range of Internet interests and experience, from research, entertainment, banking, and travel to local government IT, web development, library, telecentre, community, technical support and infrastructure development. The meeting was optimistic and constructive, and highlighted some interesting developments in the concerns of Internet users over the last year, particularly a shift in emphasis from spam to spyware as a major issue. A number of suggested solutions to problems are below.
Usage of the Internet
Almost all attendees use or have used the Internet both professionally and privately:- Web development work, but also children's access at home important and vulnerability a major concern.
- Internet services coordinator, long-term use - downside, expected to fix family computer problems, takes up much time.
- Library community resources, public access - trying to support regional availability. Parental responsibility essential.
- Telecentre coordinator, successful community and business access but servers affected by individual user problems, email floods.
- Essential for researching rare illness of family member and providing travel information like European train timetables.
- Mac user, no virus problems. Research for textbooks and for family as well as Ebay buying and selling.
- Heavy Internet user, all aspects of life, enjoy it very much.
- Main use financial but more wary lately; also difficulty of finding most economical service.
- Working in health area but on leave, and taking the chance to learn as much as possible about computing, especially health, digital photography, music composition.
- Working in wide range of IT technical areas, Linux user, viruses not a problem. Simple solutions to popups etc, run non-Internet Explorer browsers.
- Working in regional infrastructure development for business, very poor connectivity outside cities. Lack of adequate virus protection, easy firewalls for small business, are preventing uptake.
Difficulties with Internet Usage
- Now the largest problem seen is spyware - self-installing, hidden software for advertising popups or collecting passwords/keystroke logging. Also can quickly take accounts over usage limits through downloads of ads.
- Viruses are still a major problem in general, because updating of filters every week is necessary and few users do that - so more viruses propagated.
- Exposure of children to undesirable sites is a problem, but parents must always be careful. Children also likely to accidently download spyware.
- Spam is now a lesser problem than in the past, a lot is now captured by ISPs.
- Broadband, ADSL now available in cities but often not reliable, or not available in new suburbs due to exchange congestion, or just not at all in rural locations.
- Wireless technology solutions very rare in Newcastle but widely available in previous location Canberra. TransACT is also very good there.
- Seemed clear in Canberra that Telstra will not put new technology into suburbs unless there is competition there from other carriers with their own infrastructure. Meeting agreed that Newcastle is the same.
- Denials of service still common, individual attacks affecting everyone on general servers.
- Internet fraud possibilities a big worry - some people have stopped using Internet banking as a result.
- Many expressed general fears of using the Internet for any financial transactions. Others will use credit cards to known businesses, but always check for secure encrypted services (https site and lock symbol on browsers).
- Frustration at lack of information at point of sales and lack of follow-up - would be good if computer sellers would come to the house and fix problems. Education essential, but always difficulties communicating between users and techies.
- Lack of quality Internet access outside cities - some telecomms infrastructure run along or dug into ground beside fences - often electrified! Interference a major problem, speeds over 20-25Kbps are rare - great frustration in rural areas where Internet is vital for information, survival.
- Communications carriers expect return on investment in a few years, no long term planning, investment. But some councils have used demand aggregation, progessive, successful.
- Some government programs, eg under Networking the Nation, put in expensive infrastructure but then have not backed it up with support and further training.
- In general security is biggest issue for business, protecting client information, preventing password theft (spyware), little virus protection, little education, firewalls too complex, too many possibilities marketed, confusion.
Hopes for the Future Internet
- Software will become more sophisticated over time, people taking better advantage of it.
- Better content to keep up with better broadband delivery.
- Better backup from salespeople, clearer options at point of sales, home visits.
- Education badly needed that lies between very simple and too technical.
- Less information overload but better quality, more up-to-date information.
- Should be government-sponsored free courses, like WEAs, no exams, just assistance.
- Fully networked homes would be good, all appliances linked.
- Problems are not going to go away - government need to offer training to those who can least afford to pay, at local, state, federal levels.
- Incredible diversity is a problem, no-one is an expert. Licencing for clearly defined subsets of skills would be good, maybe a government website as a starting point.
- Information age is here, essential, exciting, but now there's even phone viruses!
- Better security, encryption, public keys - some government activity a few years ago but not much now.
- Convergence of separate communications, entertainment devices - will change many things.
Some Suggestions
Kate Lance
Executive Director ISOC-AU
23 June 2004