How Pornography Hijacks the Nutter Mind…Claire Perry wheels in the nutters to preach to MPs about the sins of porn

Read more UK Parliament Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from dailymail.co.uk

The Daily Mail introduces its latest propaganda piece: Children are being scarred for life by stumbling across internet pornography before their brains are able to cope with it, according to a leading neuroscientist. Dr William Struthers told MPs that in eight out of ten cases, youngsters come across hard-core images by accident. If they are between nine and 14, when their bodies are becoming sexually mature but their brains are not emotionally developed, early exposure can lead to lasting damage including withdrawn behaviour and acting out what they see onscreen. Dr Struthers was speaking at a House of Commons seminar sponsored by Claire Perry, the Tory MP who wants to block web porn from computers unless adults opt in. Dr Struthers, associate professor of psychology at Wheaton College, Illinois, found that research subjects were able to recall the first images of porn they ever saw in remarkable detail even though they could not remember images they had seen more recently. He said that impact was profound because although the hypothalamus, the region of the brain which controls sexual development, is preparing the body for sexual maturity, the higher thinking regions of the brain are not developed enough to deal with viewing extreme sex. I wonder if the MPs were informed about where Dr Struthers is coming from. Wheaton College introduces itself on its website as follows: Welcome to Wheaton College—a community of grace. As an academically rigorous, four-year Christian liberal arts college and graduate school, we seek to honor Jesus Christ with mind, soul, body, and strength. We praise God for your interest and pray that in some way your contact with Wheaton College will serve the sacred purpose expressed in our historic motto: ‘For Christ and His Kingdom.’ —Philip Ryken 88, President Wheaton College is an explicitly Christian, academically rigorous, fully residential liberal arts college and graduate school located in Wheaton, Illinois. Established in 1860, Wheaton is guided by its original mission to provide excellence in Christian higher education, and offers more than 40 undergraduate degrees in the liberal arts and sciences, and 14 graduate degrees. Dr William Struthers has written a book titled Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain. The promotional book description reads: Pornography is powerful. Our contemporary culture as been pornified, and it shapes our assumptions about identity, sexuality, the value of women and the nature of relationships. Countless Christian men struggle with the addictive power of porn. But common spiritual approaches of more prayer and accountability groups are often of limited help. In this book neuroscientist and researcher William Struthers explains how pornography affects the male brain and what we can do about it. Because we are embodied beings, viewing pornography changes how the brain works, how we form memories and make attachments. By better understanding the biological realities of our sexual development, we can cultivate healthier sexual perspectives and interpersonal relationships. Struthers exposes false assumptions and casts a vision for a redeemed masculinity, showing how our sexual longings can actually propel us toward sanctification and holiness in our bodies. With insights for both married and single men alike, this book offers hope for freedom from pornography. Amen.

MelonFarmers gets mentioned in report

A new report from Open Rights Group and LSE Media Policy Project reveals widespread over-blocking on mobile networks, helping to demonstrate why we shouldn’t accept default-on adult Internet filtering

From Mobile internet censorship: what’s happening and what we can do about it [pdf] from openrightsgroup.org

The ORG report contains mystery shopper examples to see how various phone companies handle complaints about false blocking:

Re 3 Mobile Phone Company

We reported to 3 that the site melonfarmers.wordpress.com – a conspiracy theory discussion site – was blocked. The customer services representative asked what message we received when trying to access the site. We told them we were shown a blocking screen telling us over-18 blocking was enabled. We were advised that ‘adult sites’ were automatically blocked on all pay-as-you- go 3 mobile phones.

However, we were not asked what site we were attempting to access, despite our insistence that it contained no adult material. We were then asked if we were having issues accessing other sites like Google or the BBC, and replied no. Again, the representative concluded that the content filter was working correctly and that the site we were trying to access must have some sort of adult material on it, hence its blocking. When we asked 3 how the company classifies blocked websites, the representative told us that 3 does not make the rules, and that the government’ does. We were also informed that no record is made of sites which are reported as incorrectly blocked and our phone would be unblocked once we provided age verification.

This experience seems somewhat at odds with the official propaganda about overblocking.  In an article from bbc.com, Hamish MacLeod, chairman of the Mobile Broadband Group, claimed:

Even allowing for the ORG missing a few, 60 misclassified websites does not amount to anything that could reasonably be described as ‘censorship’, particularly when mobile operators are happy to remove the filters when customers show they are over 18 and will re-classify websites when misclassifications are pointed out to them.

This is how the small handful of websites that get referred to mobile operators each year are already dealt with.

Perhaps a small handful of websites because operators are told to willfully ignore such requests

 

What Can We Do About Crappy Website Blocking?…Open Rights Group and LSE publish report about the poor implementation of internet blocking in the name of child protection

Read more Internet News at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from openrightsgroup.org See Mobile internet censorship: what’s happening and what we can do about it [pdf] from openrightsgroup.org

A new report from Open Rights Group and LSE Media Policy Project reveals widespread over-blocking on mobile networks, helping to demonstrate why we shouldn’t accept default-on adult Internet filtering Today we’re launching a new report called Mobile internet censorship: what’s happening and what we can do about it, which is a joint publication with LSE Media Policy Project. The report is about how mobile operators’ child protection filters work. It shows how systems designed to help parents manage their childrens’ access to the Internet can actually affect many more users than intended and block many more sites than they should. It reveals widespread overblocking, problems with transparency and difficulties correcting mistakes. We argue that mobile operators need to offer an active choice, be far more transparent and open, and provide easier ways to address errors. More broadly, the report helps emphasise that the neo Mary Whitehouse campaign for default blocks, led by Claire Perry MP is calling for the wrong solution in looking to default on filtering. The lessons from mobile filtering suggest fixed-line Internet filtering should concentrate on users and devices rather than networks, be properly described as parental controls (because the content blocked is far broader than adult sexual material) and above all involve an active choice, not be set by default. Without that guarded approach, seemingly simple, laudable goals such as protecting children through technical intervention may have significant harmful and unintended consequences for everybody’s access to information. Blocked.org.uk The report is based on reports of inappropriate blocks provided to our website Blocked.org.uk through January to March. These were cases where sites or services were blocked that should not have been. Working with a small group of volunteers, we received over 60 reports, including personal and political blogs, sites for restaraunts, and community sites. Here are some examples: Biased-BBC (www.biased-bbc.blogspot.co.uk) is a site that challenges the BBC’s impartiality. We established it was blocked on O2 and T-Mobile on 5th March. St Margarets Community Website (www.stmgrts.org.uk), is a community information site created by a group of local residents of St Margarets, Middlesex. Their mission is simple – help foster a stronger community identity. We established it was blocked on Orange and T-Mobile on 8th March. The Vault Bar (www.thevaultbar.co.uk) in London. We established that the home page of this bar was blocked on Vodafone, Orange, and T-Mobile on 6th February. Shelfappeal.com was reported blocked on 15th February 2012 on Orange. This is a blog that features items that can be placed on a shelf. ‘Tor’ (www.torproject.org). We established that the primary website of this privacy tool (meaning the HTTP version of the Tor Project website, rather than connections to the Tor network) was blocked on at least Vodafone, O2 and Three in January. La Quadrature du Net (www.laquadrature.net/en). The website of this French digital rights advocacy group was reported blocked on Orange’s Safeguard system on 2nd February. La Quadrature du Net has become one of the focal points for European civil society’s political engagement with an important international treaty called the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. The block was removed shortly after we publicised the blocking. …Read the full article

TalkTalk BlockBlock…Now TalkTalk proposes to force all customers to choose between a censored or uncensored internet feed

Read more UK News at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from dailymail.co.uk

TalkTalk, which provides web access to 4million subscribers, already offers new customers the option of activating blocking for websites with adult themes. Now it has said it will be the first company to ask both new and existing subscribers whether they want to block adult content. TalkTalk’s filter, HomeSafe, blocks sites categorised as unsuitable for under-18s, including those related to pornography, suicide, self harm, gambling, dating, drugs and weapons. But it also blocks websites for strong language, references to sex and any sites that happen to contain a few words that trigger automated classification software. It has been available to customers since May last year, but only if they requested it. From March this year, new subscribers have been asked to choose whether or not they want the filter. Now the company wants to force all of its customers to decide whether they want access to adult material, with a view to making them choose their settings once a year. It is believed other internet providers will introduce a system in October which will be more tailored to devices and individuals.

Bad Blocking…Orange found to be blocking website for peace campaign

Read more Phone News at MelonFarmers.co.uk

Thanks to David See article from openrightsgroup.org

The past few days have seen a lot of attention given to the neo Mary Whitehouse campaign for default censorship. It’s important to remember that filtering systems are fallible – for example, they catch too much content, whether by accident or abuse. Today we happened upon a fine example. Through our reporting website Blocked.org.uk, we established that the website of anti-violence advocates Conciliation Resources is blocked by mobile networks Orange, O2 and Vodafone by their child protection filters. Here’s what Conciliation Resources actually do: supports people at the heart of conflicts who are striving to find solutions. We work with them to deepen our collective understanding of the conflict, bring together divided communities and create opportunities for them to resolve their differences peacefully. I had a look around the site, and I couldn’t find any pornography. Or any reason why it would be a bad idea for a young person to have access to the site. Maybe its blocked simply because it frequently uses the word ‘violence’, eg in the strapline: Preventing violence, building peace. This is clearly a mistake. But it demonstrates a key flaw with Internet filtering. It tends to block far too much content, both because the categories of blockable content are so vague and broad (see Orange’s categories below) and because the systems doing the filtering make mistakes. And because the decisions are made on the cheap as there are so many websites to get through. Orange Categories for blocking. See article from help.orange.co.uk Anonymizers: These sites allow you to browse the Internet and access content anonymously. Anorexia – Bulimia: Promoting and instigating eating disorders. Gambling: Access to online gambling such as casinos and any other online services that let you place bets. Chat: Where you chat in real time to people you don’t know. Bombs: Explaining how to prepare, make, build and use explosives and explosive devices. Dating: Websites for match-making where the user can meet other people – make friends, find a partner, etc. Forums: Where you’re invited to take part in discussions on predetermined topics with people you don’t know. Pornography: Websites with a pornographic or sexual content. Racism: Sites promoting racist behaviour based on culture, race, religion, ideology, etc. Sects: Websites on universally acknowledged sects. Within this category URLs are included on organizations that promote directly or indirectly: (i) group, animal or individual injuries, (ii) esoteric practices, (iii) content that sets a bad example for young children: that teaches or encourages children to perform harmful acts or imitate dangerous behaviour, (iv) content that creates feelings of fear, intimidation, horror, or psychological terror, (v) Incitement or depiction of harm against any individual or group based on gender, sexual orientation, ethnic, religious or national identity. Violence: Containing openly violent content and/or that promote violence or defend it. Perhaps the blocking decisions could be made robust by allowing business and campaigns such as Conciliation Resources a straightforward process to sue for lost earnings and donations from incompetent censorship.

Opting in to Nutter Pressure?…Reports that Cameron is to meet with UK ISPs to discuss website censorship

Read more UK Government Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

Via article from google.com

The Government is to consult on ISPs about new measures to censor family internet access. Under plans being draw up by Downing Street, it would be up to customers to opt-in to receiving adult content online when they take out a broadband contract. David Cameron is due to meet large ISPs to discuss the measures but he is understood to be against even tougher controls on internet porn.. So how come no-once is actually talking about what should be blocked?’ See article from pcpro.co.uk PC Pro have been having fun trying to get Claire Perry to say what content she would actually like to see blocked. Earlier this week, PC Pro contacted the MP for Devizes on Twitter, asking her to define exactly what type of content she would like to see blocked. Our tweet read: Challenge to Claire Perry MP (@Claire4Devizes): we’ll send you 10 website links, you tell us whether ISPs should block them or not, and why. Last night, Perry replied: oh dear, I think you are missing the point. Sigh. What would a current device level filter block? Thats [sic] the test. Get a grip chaps. …Read the full article A sane voice from Francis Maude, minister responsible for cyber security See article from telegraph.co.uk The Telegraph reports from a press release as to what Francis Maude will say today: And as we meet the challenges presented by cyber space, and shape its future, governments need to resist the temptation to over regulate and control. The internet after all has flourished precisely because it has been shaped by its users, not by governments. The Government’s objective is to help shape an open, vibrant and stable cyberspace, the minister will say. He will conclude that a multi-stakeholder approach is needed towards governance of the net — resisting state intervention that would stifle growth and the free exchange of ideas at its heart. …Read the full article And a little about the practicalities of internet blocking See article from bigbrotherwatch.org.uk They are right. Network level blocking is not the silver bullet may have portrayed it to be. Easily avoided, it is a crude tool that carries serious risks, from blocking legitimate business content to introducing new security risks into the internet. …Read the full article

Torrents of Court Orders…UK High Court orders UK ISPs to block Pirate Bay

Read more UK News at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from torrentfreak.com

The UK High Court has ruled that several ISPs including Sky, Everything Everywhere, TalkTalk, O2 and Virgin Media must censor The Pirate Bay file sharing website. The blocking process was established in law by the media industry action against the Newzbin2 Usenet indexing site last year. A few weeks later a conglomerate of music labels filed a lawsuit against several Internet providers, demanding that they block subscriber access to The Pirate Bay. Nine labels including EMI, Polydor, Sony, Virgin and Warner said that The Pirate Bay infringes their copyrights and that several ISPs including TalkTalk and Virgin Media should implement a blockade under Section 97A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act. In February the High Court agreed that The Pirate Bay and its users do indeed breach copyright on a major scale, and this decision has now been followed by a court order. ISPs Sky, Everything Everywhere, TalkTalk, O2 and Virgin Media must censor The Pirate Bay website in the weeks to come. A sixth ISP, BT, has asked for more time to consider its position. The Open Rights Group says the court-ordered block represents the thin end of the wedge. Blocking the Pirate Bay is pointless and dangerous. It will fuel calls for further, wider and even more drastic calls for Internet censorship of many kinds, from pornography to extremism, ORG Executive Director Jim Killock said: Internet censorship is growing in scope and becoming easier. Yet it never has the effect desired. It simply turns criminals into heroes.

The Daily Mail Opts In to Opt In/Opt Out Confusion…Daily Mail incorrectly claims 66% of those surveyed support default block on internet porn

Read more UK News at MelonFarmers.co.uk

Thanks to Thomas & Therumbler See article from dailymail.co.uk

The Daily Mail claims that 66% the public back its campaign for a default block of adult content on internet websites. A poll by YouGov found that 66% of the people they surveyed support calls for ISPs to block pornographic sites from homes by default. Just 22% opposed the idea. However it seems that the Daily Mail have got somewhat confused about the stupid ‘opt in’/'opt out’ tags See YouGov Poll Results [pdf] from d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net Last question: Some people think that customers should have to choose to have their internet service filtered (an opt-in service), other people think that internet services should all be filtered unless customers ask for their service to be unfiltered (an opt-out service) Opt-in (someone’s internet service should only be filtered if they ask for it) 57% in support Opt-out (people’s internet service should be filtered unless they ask for it not to be) 36% in support Don’t know 8% In fact the majority polled support the option for internet blocking, not that it should be imposed by default

Shadowy Labour…Labour add to the shrill nutter cacophony calling for one size fits all website blocking

Read more UK Parliament Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from telegraph.co.uk

Senior Labour MPs have supported a default block on adult websites. Jenny Chapman, the shadow minister for justice, and Helen Goodman, the shadow minister for culture, media and sport, pledged their support. In an article for the Daily Mail they condemned the access to pornography as a modern-day form of pollution. They wrote: Children are regularly seeing pornography and sometimes being groomed for sex. Righting these wrongs is not an attack on civil liberties. Adults will still have the choice to access material they want to see. But in a civilised society we must also protect our children. What we want to see is the same balance of rights and responsibilities as we have in the real world. They also claimed that sales of televisions with internet access meant even more children will be one click from the strongest material. They attacked Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s proposal, which involves asking the four major ISPs to offer new customers the chance to opt out of access to pornography. They argue it would be 2017 before the proportion of households included reached 90%. They added that the plan does not go nearly far enough.

Perry and the Blockheads…Claire Perry’s parliamentary inquiry reiterates her call for a default ISP block on adult content

Read more UK Parliament Watch at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from dailymail.co.uk

Claire Perry’s parliamentary inquiry has reiterated her call for a default ISP block on adult content. Anyone wanting to view hardcore images online [or any other adult content such as Melon Farmers] would have to opt out of the default blocking, according to a panel of MPs and peers looking into child protection. Their report said that six out of ten children download adult material because their parents have not installed filters. The use of blocking filters in homes has fallen from 49% to 39% in the last three years. They concluded that parents were often outsmarted by their web-savvy children and felt unconfident in updating and downloading content filters. Many parents were oblivious to the type of material available on the internet and were often ‘shocked’ when they realised the content that children were accessing. Claire Perry, the Tory MP who chaired the non-governmental Parliamentary Inquiry on Online Child Protection, said: This is hugely worrying. While parents should be responsible for their children’s online safety, in practice, people find it difficult to put content filters on the plethora of internet-enabled devices in their homes. The inquiry called for ISPs to offer one-click filtering for all devices within a year. This would block out adult content for all domestic broadband users and stop them accessing pornography on mobiles and iPads as well as PCs and laptops. The inquiry said that the Government should launch an official inquiry into internet filtering and ministers should seek backstop legal powers to intervene should the ISPs fail to implement an appropriate solution. Carefully selected witnesses before the inquiry pointed to changes in the availability of hard-core images: As a result, more hard-core imagery is now available in the “free shop front” of commercial porn sites, the report said. It also found that only 3% of porn sites asked for proof of age and 66% did not contain any warning that they were for adults only.