Sky to block pornography by default

Re:Sky to block pornography by default by CountHackulus on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @02:23PM (#8918878)

I remember when it wasn't going to be on by default, and also when it was going to be JUST for really revolting/violent pornography. People say that you can't argue slippery slope here, but I say otherwise. The UK government has proven that the temptation to block anything they want by default and shame others into not turning off the block is too great, and I feel that this entire filtering experiment is a step or two away from a China-style firewall.

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by pavel_lishin on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @02:31PM (#8918926)

"Slippery slope" is only a fallacious argument when your opponent isn't laying out a slip'n'slide and diluting dish soap in a bucket.

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by DanBC on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @06:00PM (#8920275)

You've conflated the different styles of blocking and come up with some nightmare block scenario which just isn't happening.

There are the court ordered blocks of some torrent sites. Any ISP that receives valid court documents has to implement these blocks, but they're easy to bypass.

There are the Internet Watch Foundation cleanfeed blocks which only block images of child sexual abuse and sites with those images; or images of criminally obscene material (which is a tiny subset of porn). Most UK ISPs comply with this with I think only A&A not.

Then there are the optional usually opt-in filters that cover whatever the ISP / customer wants - these are usually granular with a bunch of options for different content filtering. Mobile phones have had this for years, and it's been opt-out on mobile since introduction.

It's important to know the difference so that complaints againstthe blocking are more effective.

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by sandworm on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @03:06PM (#8919161)

China-STYLE? Take a look at who admins the UK firewall.

http://www.dailydot.com/business/david-cameron-porn-firewall...

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by jamesbrownuhh on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @04:18PM (#8919668)

Who admins one, optional firewall used by customers of one British Internet service provider. (And not even a very good one at that.)

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by ewzimm on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @03:43PM (#8919419)

So Cameron wants to ban encryption and send the whole nation's Internet activity through Chinese monitors. Maybe he's just really admires China.

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by pbhjpbhj on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @03:41PM (#8919400)

>shame others into not turning off the block is too great //

How are they shaming people who choose to remove content filters? It's entirely private is it not.

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by unprepare on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @03:48PM (#8919451)

Because if theres anything we know for sure, its that private information (including lists of celebrities and politicians who have requested access to porn) will certainly remain private indefinitely.

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by pbhjpbhj on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @03:49PM (#8919463)

OK, sure. But the parent didn't say "keeping information on me that should it be illegally released might cause me shame" though, he said shaming and the context was present tense.

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by fixermark on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @03:50PM (#8919471)

Not being a UK native, I'm not clear on this, but: to some extent, free market still applies, right? I was under the impression that unlike in the US, one can choose one's broadband provider somewhat more independently of geographic location.

So less a draconian measure and more a market differentiator perhaps? Plenty of families would voluntarily sign on to this feature for the peace-of-mind.

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by JamesMcMinn on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @04:17PM (#8919658)

You can easily choose your broadband provider, yes. The problem lies in the fact that all of the large ISPs in the UK have now implemented the blocks. Thi leaves only very small (and usually very expensive ISPs) as the only ones not to have some type of filtering.

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Re:Sky to block pornography by default by jamesbrownuhh on Tuesday January 20, 2015 @04:20PM (#8919688)

Optional, different blocks. Every single British Internet service provider gives you an unfiltered Internet connection if you elect not to turn on (or choose to turn off) the offered content filtering.

(With the exception of the 'Cleanfeed' filtering which is supposed only to prevent access to verified child pornography and seventies rock album covers)

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