Monday 18 November 2013

Don't Bother To Ask Me, Demon Internet...

...the answer's 'Yes':
All 20million families with internet connections are to be forced within months to say whether they want access to online pornography.
No, not because I'm addicted to pornography (though I confess, I'm currently reading the last couple of John Norman 'Gor' books, published under my radar last year!), not even because there are no children in the house, but simply because I know only too well that this kind of blanket ban will sweep up many perfectly legitimate sites in its wake.

After all, when O2 implemented these controls a few years ago, my phone stopped accessing many local newspaper sites and is still unable to access some blogs until I got round it by installing Onavo, which functions as a VPN.  
Adult content filters are also expected to be fitted to all new mobile phones automatically.
Only an adult will be able to change the filter settings and the account holder will receive a confirmation email. Some providers are also offering text alerts, in case children hack into the account.
/facepalm
Mr Cameron has argued that web firms have a ‘moral duty’ to act but have not been ‘doing enough to take responsibility’.
He said: ‘I made a promise in July that I would take action to help parents protect their children when online at home and we are now delivering on that promise.’
What a pity you didn't decide on a far more important promise to honour, then...
As a dad, it is very simple: I want to know my children are protected when they go onto the internet. A family-friendly filter gives me the tool to do that and so this is a really important step forward by the internet service providers.
‘We all need to work together, both to prevent children from accessing pornography and educate them about keeping safe online, and I will continue to ensure this happens.’
I don't need to 'work to keep children away from pornography', you massively-foreheaded cretin - that's their parent's job.

7 comments:

Budvar said...

It's an attempt at internet censorship plain and simple. Take a look at sites deemed "Hate" sites, they cover a multitude of topics that all have the common denominator of "Opinions I don't agree with".

Who gets to decide what sites and subjects get the censorship treatment?
As for kiddy porn, it's not as if you type in a search string of "Kiddy porn images is it? The vast majority of these sites are hosted in places like Russia and some banana republic in the Caribbean, and much as "Dave" would like to think he does, he has no jurisdiction over their content.

Joe Public said...

As Budvar states.

Once you give the UK's government assent to implement censorship, they'll continuously extend the 'criteria' into all realms of political life.

As John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton wrote in 1887:

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Anonymous said...

I wonder if I can get my subscription back when I'm refused access to 'Lovefilm'. As for the 'Gor' books, I'm suprised at you. Puerile writing, bad characterisation and silly plots, they may seem racy to a 14 yer old boy who goes to bed dreaming and wondering of the meanings of 'white silk' and 'red silk', though in reality, he's probably got "I Spit On Your Grave" on his iPod! If you like that sort of story line though, you could try the books of Sharon Green.
Penseivat

blueknight said...

I have no wish to view child porn or violent porn, but that is not the question that is being asked.
Who is going decide what the 'filter' is going to block?
National Geographic magazine?
The Sun newspaper?

Johnm said...

It's all part of the plan.
Since this gov is clearly comprised of self-flagellating control freaks.
I suppose the gov is conservative ?
They seem to be acting like immature greenpeace supporters. And as for:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10437127/New-Asbo-plans-are-assault-on-basic-freedom-says-former-DPP-Lord-Macdonald.html

The mind boggles

JuliaM said...

"It's an attempt at internet censorship plain and simple."

And it'll fail. They all do, eventually.

"As John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton wrote in 1887:

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.""


But he had in mind the sort of power held by a monarch or statesman. He could never have begun to imagine what havoc fakecharities and lobby groups could wreak..

"As for the 'Gor' books, I'm suprised at you."

Oh, Penseivat, I'm well aware they bear the same relationship to classic literature as Vesta Chow Mein does to real food.

But...you know what? That, too, is a guilty pleasure of mine occasionally!

And I confess, I want to know how the saga ends.

"Who is going decide what the 'filter' is going to block?
National Geographic magazine?
The Sun newspaper?"


Worse than that. Mumsnet!

JuliaM said...

"I suppose the gov is conservative ?"

Is it? I'm not too sure.