[OPLIN 4cast] OPLIN 4cast #373: National Internet filtering

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OPLIN 4Cast

OPLIN 4cast #373: National Internet filtering
February 19th, 2014

UK flagIn last week's /4cast/, there was mention of network filters 
implemented by Internet service providers (ISPs) in the UK. There's 
actually quite a bit happening with filtering in the UK, and it has been 
interesting to watch as the government there tries to get ISPs to 
implement nationwide filtering systems that will block bad stuff and 
still allow people to access good stuff on the Internet. The results so 
far have been mixed. And, of course, who's to say what is "bad stuff" 
and "good stuff."

  * How UK web filtering could affect web hosts
    <http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/how-uk-web-filtering-could-affect-web-hosts>
    (The WHIR/David Hamilton) "The filtering, which households can
    opt-out of, will be done at the ISP-level, and be rolled out
    voluntarily by ISPs without the need for new government legislation
    or regulations. Initially, it will be up to new Internet subscribers
    in the UK to opt-out of this filtering, but eventually all UK
    Internet subscribers will have to let their ISP know they want
    access to filtered material."
  * Online porn filters also block sexual health advice
    <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/10527320/Online-porn-filters-also-block-sexual-health-advice.html>
    (The Telegraph/Matthew Sparkes) "Among websites blocked by TalkTalk
    was BishUK.com, a sexual advice website written by a qualified youth
    worker, and the Edinburgh Women's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre
    website. The websites for Sexual Abuse Scotland and the Doncaster
    Domestic Abuse Helpline were also blocked. The [BBC] investigation
    also found that the filter failed to block 7 per cent of 68
    pornographic websites tested."
  * Ministers bid to block extremist videos posted on foreign websites
    <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26124541> (BBC News/Chris
    Mason) "If the CTIRU [Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit] and
    prosecutors deem material to be illegal it can be blocked from parts
    of the public sector, including schools and hospitals. But this does
    not extend to domestic users - and filters can be turned off. The
    BBC has also been told it has proved difficult for the government to
    act against sites hosted abroad, both in the Middle East and in the
    US, where freedom of speech is protected by the constitution."
  * UK's new mandatory porn filter already defeated by a single Chrome
    extension
    <http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131220/14260625656/uks-new-mandatory-porn-filter-already-defeated-single-chrome-extension.shtml>
    (TechDirt/Tim Cushing) "According to the creator, Go Away Cameron is
    a private, smart proxy service that engages when blocking is
    detected. He also claims nothing about the end user is collected or
    saved, including the IP address. So, that's how easy it is to
    circumvent the UK's porn firewall. Not that anyone expected it to be
    a challenge. Most probably figured using a proxy is all it would
    take. The astounding thing is that politicians obviously believe
    this lousy bit of state-ordained soft censorship will actually turn
    the UK into a less, I don't know, /sinful/ nation."

*/PM fact:/*

Last July, UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced 
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23401076> the government initiative to 
have ISPs filter the Internet by default - hence the name "Go Away 
Cameron" for the Chrome extension mentioned above.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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