UK "default on" ISP censoring will include "web forums" by default

Dear Siobhain McDonagh,

I have been reading with concern information surrounding Mr Cameron's "porn censorship" Bill.

Leaving aside the generally distasteful nature of any kind of mass censorship, the government appears to be using "child pornography" as an excuse to block all kinds of other content, from genuinely useful websites (for example eating disorder websites which could provide support and assistance to people suffering with these conditions; or websites about alcohol, which could potentially include information on alcohol dependence and overcoming alcohol related problems), to websites so vaguely defined as to be absurd (including "web forums", which would includes popular sites such as Mumsnet , the consumer action group and Moneysavingexpert; and "esoteric" sites which, without clarification, is completely meaningless).

The Open Rights Group has published information here after speaking to ISPs about what they have been asked to implement: https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/2013/sleepwalking-into-censorship

Had it not been for some of the sites which would doubtlessly fall under the wide reaches of this proposed filter my mother who is severely limited in her mobility due to poor health would not have had access to the essential information and resources she needed to successfully appeal her case after her appalling treatment at the hands of the atos attack dogs the government have seen fit to sick on the disabled and would have been forced to live on an even more meager amount than she does now.

As someone who is of a technical bent I am aware the system may be opted out of but for those who are not tech savvy like my mother this system will undoubtedly mean that information they desperately need is kept from them that they may not be able to access because they lack the requisite skills.

It is my hope that you will understand how damaging this Bill is to the right of the UK's citizens to live their lives without large-scale, government-mandated censorship. It is also my hope that you intend to bring this matter to the attention of Mr Cameron who seems unable to comprehend the implications of his own scheme.

The Internet is truly one of the pinnacles of human achievement. To have a repository of the bulk of human knowledge available at arms reach for almost every person in developed countries is truly a wonderful thing and something that should not be censored based on the arbitrary whims of people who have already shown that they do not understand the technology enough to make such an important and destructive decision based on facts rather than knee jerk reactionary politics to appease those who see danger in anything they do not understand.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

funged bother's email into something as couldn't be bothered to try and articulate it all myself.

no copypasta allowed on writetothem but feel free to modify mine as is needed.

also just realised the mp for mordor's name is a bit like sauron. ha!