Today, hundreds of Australian websites have joined hands in a complete "Internet Blackout", to protest against the Government's proposed agenda on web censorship, but even the industry body has admitted that will do almost nothing to dampen the authorities' resolve.

Among the major organizations that have pledged a blackout of their websites today are the Greens, Democrats and ISP iiNet. Instead of the regular websites, visitors will be provided with information on the Government's new policies on Internet censorship.

The Government of the country, on its end, is fiercely determined to implement internet filtering of a blacklist of undisclosed sites that the authorities’' censors have deemed as "Refused Classification" , or RC.

Critics of the regulations have stressed that RC is too broad and there is no need whatsoever to provide the Government with a new censorship authority, given that the filters employed could only identify a very small fraction of the many "nasty" sites floating around.

Parents, child welfare groups have stressed, will be provided with a "false sense of security".

The blackout is expected last until Friday.