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

If they all filter Facebook, twitter and Google for the lolz most 99% of people would switch it off.

RTd

https://twitter.com/Ignitr_eu/status/414787991719395328

And we have it:
http://urlchecker.o2.co.uk/urlcheck.aspx

Check http://www.lfgss.com/

And we are blocked by parental controls.

When I do that ^ it says:

O2 customer profile | O2 policy
Open Access | Allowed
Default Safety | Allowed
Parental Control | (opt in u12 service) Blocked

So what does this actually mean and why can I still view and search LFGSS?

Is there any precedent for suing the companies doing the blocking for lost earnings from sites?

Do Three mobile block anything yet? Time to change mobile provider.

^^ is it a based on a statutory/legal obligation?

If not then I guess there might be scope. It would be an interesting battle.

So what does this actually mean and why can I still view and search LFGSS?

Their statements are in fact false. The "opt-in" is default opted-in. BT were the first to go public with this only 5 days ago: http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2013/12/16/bt-opt-out/1 and tech reporters are rightly calling this as being "opt-out" not "opt-in". The defaults matter when it's been proven that few people change them.

So the default "opt-in" is blocked, which means the default is blocked.

There is 1984-style double-speak in almost all communication about the net filters from the companies involved and the government and politicians.

And then only a matter of weeks ago it was revealed in the Hansard record (House of Commons logs) that Cameron was boasting how the filters will be used by the government to block all "extremist" web-sites as they've put in place the means to block such sites (these filters):

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131023/debtext/131023-0001.htm#13102348000373

This is a reverse on his own statements 6 months ago in which he assured the public that the filters would be independent (private companies) and that they were for child safety only.

Already demonstrating that the filters have an encroaching, subjective, censoring effect.

The initial tests against O2's URL checker shows that anything in which people generate their own content is basically blocked. This is nothing to do with child safety, or even terrorism... these are just sweeping censorship controls and by having pressured ISPs to adopt them the government is able to exert control over the censorship without having to have gone through any accountable process (like the law courts) to have specific web sites or content blocked.

The liability for those private companies (BT, TalkTalk, Sky, etc) will be such that there will be no downside to blocking first and waiting for the websites to appeal and fight to be unblocked.

It is censorship, there can be no other word for it. It's not even a stretch to call it undemocratic when it's user-generated content (people talking publicly) that is being so targeted.

Do Three mobile block anything yet? Time to change mobile provider.
I use a Three mobile dongle to get my webz: not found anything blocked yet.

Haven't tried any of my "exciting" bookmarks yet...

Nothing seems blocked for me on BT yet.

Nothing seems blocked for me on BT yet.

In BT's case they announced they would start by checking all new customers, and in time will contact all existing customers.

Give it time, it will reach you.

Ah god, pretty sure we'll be getting rid of restrictions anyway.

I already feel paranoid about being spied on though.

You probably should. But, is it paranoia if they actually ARE monitoring us?

Can the note at the top of the page be in red? Only just noticed it!

Happy to say my wifi and phone providers have not blocked lfgss. Yet.

TalkTalk have had something similar to this for quite a while now. Tested it out and at times seemed completely arbitrary. Some of the blocked stuff made no sense, till I started noticing a pattern of there being a public forum/input style to the sites involved. I figured it out when signing up to a new blogging platform. It didn't make sense as to why they would block some of the pages will I realised it was the page where you download the documentation.
Don't even bother reporting the page as a mistake, because its not actually connected to anything or anyone.

BT said be contacting current customers in mid to late 2014 but new customers would have the filter set on as default.

glad I'm on A&A
http://www.aa.net.uk/kb-broadband-realinternet.html

They do look good!

Hmm wonder if I can get their fibre option?

glad I'm on A&A
http://www.aa.net.uk/kb-broadband-realinternet.html

Going to look into switching. I 'was' on O2/Be but they've been bought by that Murdoch... rather not put any of my pennies in his cougher.

.

oop - meant 'coffer' not 'cougher'... or 'cougar'.

Hmm wonder if I can get their fibre option?

If you have a green FTTC cabinet nearby then prob yes - we have it. 100/20, tis nice.

Their pricing seems complex. How much do you pay per month clefty?