A man using the British Library’s wi-fi network was denied access to an online version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet because the text contained “violent content”.
Author Mark Forsyth was writing his book in the library, and needed to check a line from the famous play.
His request was blocked by the network’s filter, and he was informed that his attempt had been logged.
And there, in a nutshell, you have the massive, massive problem – even more massive than iDave’s empty forehead – with the idea that filters are a cure for any sort of problem. Bugger me, that Shakespeare, eh? They’ll be wheeling out folk who claimed he sexually molested them, next…
One security expert said the incident highlighted the “dysfunction” of internet filters.
And that gets today’s prize for stating the blindingly obvious.
Lucky he didn’t google the Canterbury tales or the Decameron then. The porn filter would have gone into overdrive and a klaxon would have sounded. These bloody nannies should leave well alone. If I didn’t want the children looking at unpleasant stuff I would make sure they didn’t myself. In fact children are bloody savvy about getting round blocks and filters. If this wretched government has its way the Fast Show on the Fosters website would be out of bounds too, because of the ethanolic beverage problem. It’s made even worse by these idiots being IT illiterate too.
Have the witchfinders at Operation Yewtree been alerted about this dodgy Shakespeare fellow? 😉
🙂 Even the guy’s name is suggestive.
Eh?
Forsyth?
Suggestive of what?
(other than a Brucie bonus)
Shakespeare, not Forsyth.
This has been occurring for years , why they think now is going to be any different . I recall some years back a local museum was surprised they had had no response from schools after sending emails offering free activity days . turned out the net nanny filter didn’t like emails from The Horniman Museum .
Good Lord! Horniman’s museum. Went there as a kid. Long time ago…
Scunthorpe.
Scunthorpe, anyone?