I wish people wouldn't make these sorts of arguments, because they're short-term ones, and don't get the real point across. Whether it technically won't work, or whether it will slow down the internet aren't the real issues, because someday, it technically will work and won't slow down the internet.
The real argument to make is that this is wrong because censorship is wrong, and because this is the thin end of the wedge of tyranny. It always starts with child porn or terrorism, because everyone hates terrorists and pedophiles. Once the government gets the capability, they just start taking more and more. Even this article talks about blocking anti-abortion websites. Abortion is one of the most important social issues today, and they're saying that we can't argue against the government position on the internet? How will we ever make progress as a society if we can't talk about anything different than what we are doing today?
Yes this censorship is wrong - I agree with that. However the technical aspects of trying to censor the internet do have important ramifications.
To effectively make censorship work on the internet it would require the government be able to access all you possible means of receiving data - Email, proxies, bittorent, SSH, everything. It is just too easy to re-route censored data over different channels otherwise. Even then it is possible to hide data within other data (Steganography).
So without big brother constantly staring over your shoulder it won't work. Any government serious about making censorship work would be (possibly unknowingly) drawn down this path.
I wish people wouldn't make these sorts of arguments
I don't want my government wasting money on something I don't think will work. I believe the resources are better put elsewhere. That's important to me - might not be the case for you.
and because this is the thin end of the wedge of tyranny.
The real argument to make is that this is wrong because censorship is wrong, and because this is the thin end of the wedge of tyranny. It always starts with child porn or terrorism, because everyone hates terrorists and pedophiles. Once the government gets the capability, they just start taking more and more. Even this article talks about blocking anti-abortion websites. Abortion is one of the most important social issues today, and they're saying that we can't argue against the government position on the internet? How will we ever make progress as a society if we can't talk about anything different than what we are doing today?