A pro-suicide website linked to deaths in this country has answered calls to block Australian users from accessing it, but not because of claims it is harmful and incites suicide.
Families of two Australians who took their lives after spending time on the website, along with Australia's eSafety commissioner, last week spoke out against the US-registered site.
Now its administrators have blocked it to Australian users, saying it is a response to this country's "authoritarian" attempts to stifle its influence.
The ABC will not be naming the site in this article.
"If the citizens of Australia want the site to be accessible in Australia, they will need to reach out to their MPs," a representative of the website said in an email to the ABC.
"We are done with the site-blocking BS, and anti-liberty countries will just be blocked."
The representative said the site was urging people to contact MPs to push for more government action on mental health issues, instead of "asking ISPs to block sites mindlessly."
They said the decision to block the site was also driven by privacy concerns that visitors to the site could be tracked by Australian agencies.
"The Australia government and eSafety has failed the citizens of Australia and continues to blame our site for suicides," the representative said.
Ross and Debbie Cameron, whose 22-year-old son Lachlan took his own life in 2019, said their son was encouraged by members of the website and used instructions that were available on the site.
"I am pleased that the administrators have taken this action," Mr Cameron said on Monday.
"But it's unfortunate that they still think free speech is more important than the harm the website is doing to very vulnerable people, particularly youth."
A 41-year-old woman in Melbourne also died by suicide in 2019 after spending time on the website.
Site linked to deaths
A New York Times investigation last year identified 45 people globally had died by suicide after spending time on the website, including Lachlan.
The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has previously told the ABC, the web forum incites suicide and that search engines should pro-actively remove it from search results.
Her office can demand the removal of illegal content, with fines of up to $500,000 a day for non-compliance, but it relies on complaints to trigger an investigation.
"We stand ready to investigate complaints from Australians about illegal and restricted online material."
The website had been blocked by some internet service providers at the request of the Australian Federal Police but was still accessible to many Australians.
A black screen with text explaining the administrators' position now appears in place of the site in Australia, although there are still ways for determined users to access it.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said she was pleased to hear the web forum was blocked, reiterating her comment from last week that the government was serious about preventing access to pro-suicide sites.
"The Australian government recognises the harm that these kinds of web forums can cause," Ms Rowland said.
"Not just for victims, but for their families, friends and loved ones."
The ABC has requested a response from the Australian Federal Police.
