Porn filters being introduced by some internet providers (after campaigning from politicians and newspapers) are blocking sexual health and education sites, domestic abuse support groups, gay rights groups, among others .... while simultaneously not blocking some hardcore porn.

 

 

Pornography filters used by major internet service providers are blocking websites offering sex education and advice on sexual health and porn addiction, the BBC has learned.

 

The four major internet companies have started to roll out so-called porn filters to their users.

 

BT launched its filter this week, Virgin has a pilot programme ahead of a full launch early in 2014, and Sky's was turned on a month ago.

 

TalkTalk's filter started in May 2011.

 

Last month, Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed "family-friendly" filters and said they were important to stop children "stumbling across hardcore legal pornography".

 

But BBC's Newsnight has discovered all the major ISPs that have launched full default filters are also failing to block hardcore porn-hosting sites.

 

All new customers will be prompted to decide whether to opt in or out, while existing customers of major ISPs will be presented with an "unavoidable choice" about whether to sign up.

 

Parental controls set up screen

BT launched a porn filter for users earlier this week

Among the sites TalkTalk blocked as "pornographic" was BishUK.com, an award-winning British sex education site, which receives more than a million visits each year.

 

TalkTalk also lists Edinburgh Women's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre website as "pornographic."

 

The company also blocked a programme run by sex education experts, and taught to 81,000 American children, that has been in development for more than 20 years.

 

TalkTalk's filter is endorsed by Mr Cameron but it failed to block 7% of the 68 pornographic websites tested by Newsnight.

 

Sky's filter fared much better, blocking 99% of sites, but it did block six porn-addiction sites.

 

Advertising campaign

BT blocked sites including Sexual Health Scotland, Doncaster Domestic Abuse Helpline, and Reducing The Risk, a site which tackles domestic abuse.

 

In the new year the four major ISPs will fund a £25m advertising campaign to explain the filters and other aspects of children's safety online.

 

The filters were brought in following increased parental awareness of the ease with which children can access pornography online.

 

Victoria Shotbolt, chief executive of the Parent Zone, said: "It's great that the four ISPs have got together and are doing an awareness-raising campaign. But it isn't even starting to be enough.

 

"We're focusing so heavily on filters and all of the ISPs having them and public wi-fi having filters that the message getting through to parents is that those filters will do the job."

 

Justin Hancock runs BishUK and was not aware his site was being blocked by some filters until he was alerted by Newsnight.

 

He said: "It's really frustrating because I'm trying to provide a sex education site for young people and it's hard enough directing young people to good quality information on the internet.

 

Over-blocking problem

"They might fix my site in the short-term but what about all the other sites that are out there for young people, not just sex education sites… who are TalkTalk to say what is allowed and isn't?"

 

The UK Council for Child Internet Safety has a working group to discuss over-blocking.

 

A TalkTalk spokesman said: " Sadly there is no silver bullet when it comes to internet safety and we have always been clear that no solution can ever be 100%. We continue to develop HomeSafe and welcome feedback to help us continually improve the service."

 

A Sky spokesman said: "We know that no one single technology currently provides all the answers. That's why we have a quick and easy way for misclassified sites to be unblocked. Any Sky home has the ability to fully customise their filters."

 

A BT spokesman said: "Categorisations are constantly updated to keep pace with changing content on the internet and we will investigate any concerns and make changes as necessary. BT Parental Controls can be customised to suit each individual family's needs."

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25430582

 

**

 

LGBT charity London Friend says access to its website has been blocked by the internet service provider TalkTalk because it has incorrectly been classified as “pornographic”.

 

On Thursday, London Friend Chief Executive Monty Moncrieff told PinkNews.co.uk: “London Friend was informed today that access to our website has been blocked by the internet

service provider (ISP) TalkTalk when using their safe-search filters.

 

“For some reason it seems we’ve been classed as pornography! This was a concern we know many LGBT organisations had when the filter system was announced.

 

“We understand that parents may want to have easy control over what their children can access, but to mislabel us like this is ridiculous! Our site contains information about how LGBT people can access health support like coming out groups or safe drinking. It shouldn’t be blocked just because it’s LGBT, and it’s certainly not pornography.”

 

Mr Moncrieff added: “With opt-in filters about to be rolled out more widely this is a concern as LGBT people may not be able to access the support they need. It’s particularly ironic that our service is one that often supports people living with the impact of ignorance and discrimination about LGBT issues.”

 

In August, several LGBT charities called on the government to reconsider supporting mandatory default web blocking for ISPs as it could restrict legitimate access to non-pornographic LGBT websites – such as London Friend.

 

Several ISPs, including TalkTalk, Sky and Virgin, introduced web filters this year ahead of David Cameron’s endorsement of the proposal.

 

But according to a BBC Newsnight investigation, as well as blocking access to several non-pornographic websites, on multiple occasions the filters have allowed access to pornographic websites – thus failing in their primary aim.

 

TalkTalk’s filter failed to block 7% of the 68 pornographic websites tested by Newsnight.

 

A TalkTalk spokesman told Newsnight: “Sadly there is no silver bullet when it comes to internet safety and we have always been clear that no solution can ever be 100%. We continue to develop HomeSafe and welcome feedback to help us continually improve the service.”

 

A Sky spokesman said: “We know that no one single technology currently provides all the answers. That’s why we have a quick and easy way for misclassified sites to be unblocked. Any Sky home has the ability to fully customise their filters.”

 

A BT spokesman said: “Categorisations are constantly updated to keep pace with changing content on the internet and we will investigate any concerns and make changes as necessary. BT Parental Controls can be customised to suit each individual family’s needs.”

 

PinkNews has contacted TalkTalk for a response regarding the specific problems associated with access to the London Friend website.

 

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/12/19/talkt...s-pornographic/

Edited December 20, 201311 yr by Danny

Well isn't this a shock and a half!

So, the people who said that filters would block sites like this have been proved correct. What a shock. Yet another headline-grabbing policy hasn't been thought through properly.

I was against the idea from the start and this article reinforces my belief that it was completely and utterly ridiculous

 

They should be focusing on child porn, bestiality, hardcore stuff, fully in favour of that being blocked, but this complete blanket ban is barmy

Absolutely no surprise that a half arsed plan to 'save teh childrenz' isn't working. Blocking sites is not the answer in the slightest.

 

 

Better parenting, better sex education and better counselling systems are. All this will do is appease the Daily Mail who no doubt would like to return to the days when it was illegal to be gay, muslim or black.