Politics UK courts forced ISP's to block TPB - Tor fights back

Tim

Tim

Creative Writer
Virginmedia, an ISP here in the UK, one of the big ones, has just blocked http://thepiratebay.se/

A lot of other URL's have popped up to reach the site, but it's only a matter of time before they are all blocked. Most other ISP's are about to block, although BT is still deciding whether to contest it.

Meanwhile, sticking the above URL in the Tor Browser Bundle smashes straight through any ISP controls.

If Tor becomes more widespread because of this incident the government here is going to wet its pants, because opening Pandora's Box is going to cause a flurry of internet users annoyed at the government and finding out exactly what is out there on an Onion URL.

As an aside, now that ISP'/s have been forced to block one website, others will follow, and as the courts have, so far, been uncontested on this issue, it's only a matter of time before pron sites get blocked for 'safety'. Mind you, I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing, it will protect our children and allow them to grow up innocent and not disrespecting women.

The Great Firewall of UK is being built. God Save the Queen!
 
I actually agree that pron should be restricted on the net to protect our kids. However, I think it might be easiest to move it all to the .xxx domain and then all router manufacturers, or ISP's, release software/firmware that let's the subscriber block the domain.

On the other hand, after talking to numerous adults who've had to move back home with their parents due to the long recession, they say they would feel extremely embarrassed asking them to activate it :)
 
Tim said:
I actually agree that pron should be restricted on the net to protect our kids. However, I think it might be easiest to move it all to the .xxx domain and then all router manufacturers, or ISP's, release software/firmware that let's the subscriber block the domain.
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... or, you know, make it an 'Opt Out' option instead of having the government decree what by default their citizens should or shouldn't have access to.

If such a thing were to pass, how long do you think it would take before the government decides what else needs to be restricted online by default for the good of the people?
 
Which is why I think it should be in the hands of the users. The .xxx domain solution is simple.

We live with the illusion of democracy sadly. The government can choose to block what it likes. I do think that various groups are already using sock puppets and the media to control the people as it is. Not a conspiracy theory as such. I think it's very easy for a political society in a university to spend an hour online immediately posting in reply to news articles in the comments section swaying the publics mind. People, as in the general public, aren't particularly intelligent where these things are concerned. They aren't individuals, they follow peer pressure.
 
Tim said:
Which is why I think it should be in the hands of the users. The .xxx domain solution is simple.
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Trying to restrict all adult content to a particular top level domain (eg: .xxx) would never work for a number of reasons but chief amongst them is: Who is going to police the internet to decide what is or isn't porn? It is the old guessing game that has been applied to art & porn for ages. "I can't tell you what it is but I know it when I see it."

Tim said:
We live with the illusion of democracy sadly.
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Well, at least here in the US, we aren't. The US is a republic as is most of the rest of the "free world" countries. ;) Heck, if we were a democracy then Bush Jr. would never have been President.

Tim said:
The government can choose to block what it likes.
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They government can propose to block what it likes.

Tim said:
I do think that various groups are already using sock puppets and the media to control the people as it is. Not a conspiracy theory as such. I think it's very easy for a political society in a university to spend an hour online immediately posting in reply to news articles in the comments section swaying the publics mind. People, as in the general public, aren't particularly intelligent where these things are concerned. They aren't individuals, they follow peer pressure.
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That has already existed for years. On this side of the pond they are called Political Action Groups. If you've got the money, you can likely get anything you want passed into law over here or, at the very least, give it a pretty good run trying.
 
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