Filtered Content

This morning we’re browsing the ‘net from Rod’s house. Rod gets free DSL from his old employer –one of the perks of building a company. Unfortunately, the web connection is ‘filtered’.

For example, when doing a search for ‘amazon.com’ at The Wayback Machine, the proxy blocks the search.

The proxy’s “artificial intelligence” takes the form of a prudishly virginal ten-year-old.

“OMFG TEHER’S MIGHT BE BOOBIES!!!! ON TEH AMAZON.COM SEIT FROM 1996!1111 HIED IT FROM MY LIL DARLIN EYESZZ@!!!!!!”

How thunderously stupid can this proxy get?

It refuses to allow access to the “Snow Saver” site as well. “THEM DIRTY MAC USERS ARE ALL EVIL!!”

And yet, it allows access to Quonsar‘s site, which currently shows a picture of a half-nude fat Santa, “Hamster Anatomy”, and a snapshot of a marquee that proudly states “MY BONER IS SCREAMING HELLO”.

I can only imagine the reaction of the typical customer of a filtered-content ISP, upon viewing Blort. I’m sure paramedics are on standby.

To me, this proves that filtered content cannot and will not ever be functional. It is neither rational nor feasible to use technology to enforce morality.