[FYI] So why does Vodafone filter block Sky News?

["Axel H Horns" <axel.h.horns@gmx.net>]

<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/06/voda_filter_chaos/>

So why does Vodafone filter block Sky News?
By Lucy Sherriff
Published Tuesday 6th July 2004 14:56 GMT

Vodafone's new mobile content filtering system, designed to stop 
children accessing Web nasties with their mobiles, raises more 
questions than it answers.  

In January, the major UK operators agreed to implement a content 
filtering system, with an independent body in place to rate content, 
by the end of the year. Vodafone has launched its filtering system 
five months early, presumably hoping to steal a media victory from 
under the noses of its rivals.  

Child protection groups have welcomed the Voda's decision to begin 
content filtering before the December deadline, but early indications 
are that the operator has bitten off more than it can chew.  

The Register has been flooded with reports of technical difficulties. 
Some Vodafone users say they have been unable to access corporate 
email - Vodafone's Blackberry service was apparently disrupted for a 
time. Others have been unable to access the Sky News website. Access 
to pornography, however, does not appear to have been universally 
restricted.  

Vodafone argues that teething troubles are to be expected when a 
system like this goes live to so many users. It is less forthcoming 
with explanations of how the system should work, once the problems 
have been ironed out. Questions from the floor  

How are sites classified? How accurate is that classification, and 
what should a site do if it thinks it has been unfairly grouped under 
the 'adult' banner. Why does Vodafone think it can decide what is 
appropriate content - after all, who is it answerable to? Site 
operators who feel they have been unfairly or inaccurately classified 
can appeal to Vodafone to change its mind. But what is the appeals 
process. And what if a publisher sued Voda for defamation if its 
website was wrongly tagged as adult content.  

[...]


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