gts

Quite old page but still interesting

Nothing new (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_harp) but always impressive

Yep but if you look even further into the thread it has this reply from Giff Gaff and people are still not able to lift the filter(EU or not)

"Thanks for contacting me about removing your adult bar. Don't worry I'll look into this for you now.

Unfortunately due to a change in process recently we are only able to remove the adult content bar with a full driving license number or with a valid UK passport."

1. Yeah, so were you traumatized when you first saw a porn flick or beat off to it? How old were you? 18? Come on..

2. There are some really sick people out there I get it. Are you saying that kids should not be told/prepared that such people exist out there and be instructed on how to react when encountering something like this? (e.g. leave the page, call mom etc).

I do not intent to provide my own passport details, but you may want to go to the forum page and give your feedback to the people that had the problem.

My impression was that it is set for early 2014, I did some searching online and the closest I could find on a date online is http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2372833/Internet-por... which generally sets this to happen in 2014 based on the PM's pledge/plan and not legislation.

Sorry but in your original post you specified opt-in. In any event, different providers are either opt-in or opt-out, O2 is not the only ISP in UK and the link you share is just the boilerplate text on O2's parental controls policy, so what?

I feel I explained my rationale and there can be no more constructive conversation in the particular thread. As for the article being FUD, sorry darling I guess we'll have to disagree on this one.

First of all, it is about blocking by default and opting out(as you mention yourself at least for O2 before editing it to 'opt in', furthemore different providers provide either in or out by default). Then if you look at the img you posted yourself at http://i.imgur.com/dWxORfJ.png you will see that it is not only about pornography but a dozen other things including areas such as 'Obscene and Tasteless'(?).

The government's job making a law of(and therefore enforcing) the above is easy to justify under the rationale that this thing existed for years(with a few specific ISPs). Now everyone will have to do it, and on top of that it will be the government that will be defining what is 'Obscene and Tasteless' as opposed to a mere ISP.

I understand what you mean too, but my disagreement genuinely has to do with me seeing that both filtering schemes are identical to each other and have the same purpose and effect. Both are opt-out and both do not have to do with pornography only. I sincerely do not see how these can be different.

Although it is not The 'porn' filter itself as promoted by the goverment, it is the exact same thing, under the exact same logic, as implemented by the ISP instead of having been forced by the goverment. So when the legislation comes into effect the particular ISPs will already be compliant with it and the ones currently not having any such filters will have to set them up.

Does changing the settings in BT require any passport details, sex details or UK driving licence number? Also is blocked access to filtered content limited to the content providers the ISP has a commercial relationship with?

Reason for asking is the above applies for the Giff Gaff network(running on top of O2) if you want to have the filter lifted. http://i.imgur.com/Y3BEKEU.png

What is sad is that Giff Gaff is supposed to be run by it's own users(i.e. like a cooperative) yet checking at the forums this change was unannounced. Furthermore people that do not have a UK passport or driving licence but live in the UK simply can't lift the filter... http://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Submit-Great-giffgaff-Ideas...

Curiously the URL I was blocked on was a link in the WayBackMachine for a biography of Alfred Bester(sci-fi writer) http://web.archive.org/web/20120722084039/http://www.empmuse...

When it comes to parents approving such measures, I feel it is mostly an easy way out for them either due to inefficient parenting or extreme insecurity/protectionism.

If the kid is too young and not too knowledgeable about the world then perhaps it would make sense to not be left alone with an -online- tablet. If the kid is older then parents should have by that time invested time and talked with their child and let it know of what dangers may await online.

Finally and with regards to the 'indecent'/'porn' aspect of the filter, if a child is traumatized after viewing a pair of boobs or a vagina then there is something wrong with the upbringing the parents gave to it. Having sexual education websites blocked by the filter makes the matter all the more worst.

Original poster here, in my opinion the best article I've found online so far showcasing clearly the effects of the so called 'porn' filter, and that it is not at all about safety but control. The list of websites blocked and the nature of the websites is just shocking.

Good selection of interviews with free & open source leaders, although a bit dated(2006-2007) still quite interesting.