I just learned that one of my personal sites is blocked on BT and TalkTalk... there is zero adult or other inappropriate content on it. Time to complain, I guess, but I'm sure they will just go straight to /dev/null :(
Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
11–20 of 36 posts
Re: Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
#12I've been checking various websites I go on that are completely fine for kids. It's amazing what's getting blocked. One example according to that website is, TalkTalk blocks " http://www.writingexcuses.com/" It's a podcast that teaches story writing. Blocking that is insane! And the blocked website itself is blocked on two ISPs https://www.blocked.org.uk/results?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblocked....
This is with the new government mandated opt-out censorship enabled (except AAISP, who don't offer it) - if that is disabled, most blocked sites would be accessible, except that sites with 'adult content' are still blocked by default on mobile networks (EE, O2, Three), which is an account setting with age verification to enable.
Except every ISP that isn't a mobile operator or a major UK wireline ISP (e.g. BT/TalkTalk/Sky/Virgin). Including Andrews and Arnold, but also including many smaller ISPs like Zen or IDnet or Xilo and others.
A&A have played a massive blinder on the media front, by saying that they aren't doing something that no one is legally requiring them to do (it would be interesting to see what they do if they were actually forced to, though). It's also worth pointing out that the mobile networks have had filters for years, because of Labour government pressure and not because of the "wall of Cameron" or whatever people are calling it.
I also like how the site says "checked on the main UK ISPs" and then includes A&A, which no one would ever say is a "main UK ISP". They're the nichest of the niche. They're an extremely good ISP (although you can get similar quality from others at a fraction of the price), but they're not a "main ISP".
I would guess that A&A have paid towards the ORG or are contributing something and that's why they're getting prominence.
Re: Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
#13Ah I knew something was in the works as Andrews & Arnold were writing about obtaining connections from ISPs to test what was blocked. Great to know what is being censored (if you are not on A&A).
"(if you are not on A&A)."
Or if you're on any of the ISPs who do not have filters, including but not limited to A&A.
Re: Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
#14I just learned that one of my personal sites is blocked on BT and TalkTalk... there is zero adult or other inappropriate content on it. Time to complain, I guess, but I'm sure they will just go straight to /dev/null :(
Make sure you update the site to state that it is currently blocked by these ISPs, you don't know why, you have asked them to investigate, but you have not heard nothing back and until they respond it is completely out of your control.
That way anyone who can access it from work but not home (for example) or recommends the site to a friend who finds it doesn't work, will have a clue as to what the problem is (and it isn't your fault).
If your site is of significant general interest then this may also increase the chance of the ISPs acting quickly.
Re: Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is with the new government mandated opt-out censorship enabled (except AAISP, who don't offer it) - if that is disabled, most blocked sites would be accessible, except that sites with 'adult content' are still blocked by default on mobile networks (EE, O2, Three), which is an account setting with age verification to enable.
Except every ISP that isn't a mobile operator or a major UK wireline ISP (e.g. BT/TalkTalk/Sky/Virgin). Including Andrews and Arnold, but also including many smaller ISPs like Zen or IDnet or Xilo and others. A&A have played a massive blinder on the media front, by saying that they aren't doing something that no one is legally requiring them to do (it would be interesting to see what they do if they were actually for…
A&A are paying for the ADSL/cable connections (Sky, TalkTalk, BT & Virgin) and are providing an unfiltered ADSL connection for use as a base measure.
Re: Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is with the new government mandated opt-out censorship enabled (except AAISP, who don't offer it) - if that is disabled, most blocked sites would be accessible, except that sites with 'adult content' are still blocked by default on mobile networks (EE, O2, Three), which is an account setting with age verification to enable.
Except every ISP that isn't a mobile operator or a major UK wireline ISP (e.g. BT/TalkTalk/Sky/Virgin). Including Andrews and Arnold, but also including many smaller ISPs like Zen or IDnet or Xilo and others. A&A have played a massive blinder on the media front, by saying that they aren't doing something that no one is legally requiring them to do (it would be interesting to see what they do if they were actually for…
[deleted]
Re: Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think TalkTalk is either using a whitelist or an oversensitive keyword filter.
My personal website is blocked by Talk Talk apparently. I guess compiler writing must be harmful for children.
Here we go. If a lot of harmless or potentially even useful material gets blocked, people who want to use that material will simply opt out or route round the blocking, hence making it pointless.
Re: Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
#18For the past 8 months we've been working on building a series of probes; - Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.org.blocked... - Python https://github.com/openrightsgroup/OrgProbe - Raspberry PI images https://github.com/openrightsgroup/lepidopter ) And an open API to power them: https://wiki.openrightsgroup.org/wiki/Censorship_Monitoring_... This is helping to build a picture of what the UK Gover…
Please consider freeing the data and make it downloadable as a simple CSV. I'd like a list of all of the sites blocked by particular ISPs...
Re: Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is with the new government mandated opt-out censorship enabled (except AAISP, who don't offer it) - if that is disabled, most blocked sites would be accessible, except that sites with 'adult content' are still blocked by default on mobile networks (EE, O2, Three), which is an account setting with age verification to enable.
Except every ISP that isn't a mobile operator or a major UK wireline ISP (e.g. BT/TalkTalk/Sky/Virgin). Including Andrews and Arnold, but also including many smaller ISPs like Zen or IDnet or Xilo and others. A&A have played a massive blinder on the media front, by saying that they aren't doing something that no one is legally requiring them to do (it would be interesting to see what they do if they were actually for…
AAISP act as the (completely unfiltered) baseline control group in this research.
Re: Open Rights Group has launched a UK Censorship Monitoring API and Botnet
#20I just learned that one of my personal sites is blocked on BT and TalkTalk... there is zero adult or other inappropriate content on it. Time to complain, I guess, but I'm sure they will just go straight to /dev/null :(
Have you considered legal action?