FYI Censorware: SmartFilter zerlegt.

[Thomas Roessler <roessler@does-not-exist.org>]

http://sethf.com/anticensorware/smartfilter/gotalist.php

SmartFilter - I've Got A Little List

Abstract: This report examines some details as to how the censorware
product SmartFilter blacklists sites. The mathematical impossibility
of human review of the blacklist is demonstrated, along with
empirical evidence validating this criticism. Possible
programming-related reasons are put forth as to why some items are
blacklisted. The general problem of investigation of censorware
blacklists, in view of personal constraints and legal topics such as
the The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), is extensively
discussed.

[...]

Moving to more general categories for a moment, contemplate this
selected list of newsgroups blacklisted in the categories noted,
and consider how SmartFilter likely came up with the reason:

[...]
news:clari.tw.health.aids - "HIV and AIDS research, politics (Moderated)" blacklisted Sex Related 
news:comp.dcom.telecom - "Telecommunications digest. (Moderated)" blacklisted Criminal Skills
news:comp.dcom.telecom.tech - "Discussion of technical aspects of telephony." blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:comp.org.cpsr.announce - "Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. (Moderated)" blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:comp.org.cpsr.talk - "Issues of computing and social responsibility." blacklisted Criminal Skills
news:comp.org.eff.news - "News from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. (Moderated)" blacklisted Criminal Skills
news:comp.org.eff.talk - "Discussion of EFF goals, strategies, etc." blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:comp.protocols.kerberos - "The Kerberos authentication server." blacklisted Criminal Skills
news:comp.protocols.tcp-ip - "TCP and IP network protocols." blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:comp.protocols.tcp-ip.domains - "Topics related to Domain Style names." blacklisted Criminal Skills
news:comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc - "TCP/IP for IBM(-like) personal computers." blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:comp.risks - "Risks to the public from computers & users. (Moderated)" blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:comp.security.announce - "Announcements from the CERT about security. (Moderated)" blacklisted Criminal Skills
news:comp.security.misc - "Security issues of computers and networks." blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:comp.security.unix - "Discussion of Unix security." blacklisted Criminal Skills
news:comp.virus - "Computer viruses & security. (Moderated)" blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:sci.archaeology - "Studying antiquities of the world." blacklisted Cult/Occult
news:sci.archaeology.mesoamerican - "The field of mesoamerican archaeology." blacklisted Cult/Occult 
news:sci.archaeology.moderated - "All aspects of archaeology. (Moderated)" blacklisted Cult/Occult
news:sci.crypt - "Different methods of data en/decryption." blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:sci.crypt.random-numbers - "Generating cryptographic strength randomness." blacklisted Criminal Skills 
news:sci.crypt.research - "Cryptography, cryptanalysis, and related issues. (Moderated)" blacklisted Criminal Skills
[...]
news:soc.religion.christian - "Christianity and related topics. (Moderated)" blacklisted Cult/Occult
[...]

-- 
Thomas Roessler                         <roessler@does-not-exist.org>