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Say That Again

by Mike Masnick

Thu, Sep 4th 2003 4:02pm





School Internet Filters Give False Sense Of Security

from the more-evidence dept

As if there weren't enough reasons why putting internet filters in schools was a bad idea here's another one. While pointing out the problems of both false negatives (letting through content that is supposed to be blocked) and false positives (blocking content that should be allowed), internet filters create a false sense of security. Parents and teachers assume that if they have a filter in place, then everything is good. They don't teach the kids how to deal with real world issues - but the kids still come across plenty of content they may not be prepared to see. For all the talk about how families are supposed to be playing a bigger role in raising their children, isn't it a bit odd that we're then forcing schools and libraries to give up that ability to a software program?

21 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    No Subject Given

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Sep 4th, 2003 @ 6:43pm

    I run a private web proxy that all my friends (and a few peeps I don't know) use at my High School.
    Also, A couple guys I know went off to BYU and use it their with them cause of the insane blocking they have.

    Filters are wayy to easy to get around. They don't work.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Filters do not work

    identicon
    Average Joe, Sep 5th, 2003 @ 7:22am

    Hmm ... Lets see.
    I want to get around filters so I go to www.google.com.
    I type the word "Boobs " into the subject line and search for images ...

    So much for filters

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  

    Re: No Subject Given

    identicon
    Dani, Sep 8th, 2003 @ 1:21pm

    um, great, can u help me get around mine then, cause this school has websense, and they are absolute freaks, and we can't get on mail sites (yahoo, hotmail, aol) or instant message, which is a problem for me, as I no longer have internet at home cause sbc screws up all the time, and I stay at after school till 6. how do i get aim express even??it just doesn't work! Hell, I got past the filters on aim at the library when i was able to go on the weekends which was relatively easy, but not at my school.this really sucks.please help!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: Filters do not work

    identicon
    Dani, Sep 8th, 2003 @ 1:24pm

    hey yea, the google thing, ive tried it in all sorts of ways for express, just doesn't work for school....did for the library thing tho

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    nasty filter!

    identicon
    victoria, Sep 26th, 2003 @ 6:23am

    we have a really pathetically nasty web filter on our school internet thingy, webfilter.schoolnet.org.uk by the filter. does anyone know how to get around it? ta, luv tori

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    WEBSENSE

    identicon
    Jake, Dec 11th, 2003 @ 9:26pm

    ok so at school when im doing my laptop classes whenever i plug into the network for internet access websense starts on my comp. i went to www.websense.com to learn about the program. it runs from the master computer on the network and blocks any sites that it is told to, stops all peer to peer networking programs such as aim or winmx or kazaa, and etc. It is very annoying. If anyone knows anyway to get around it or stop it from activating itself on my computer when i plug into the network please write me an email. thanks.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    no subject

    identicon
    LJNaff, Apr 7th, 2004 @ 6:25am

    I'm in high school and they currently have gwlite01.core.tn.ena.net:5312 as their block. Is there a way to get around this?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  

    Re: no subject

    identicon
    Rui, May 7th, 2004 @ 10:08am

    go to http://babelfish.altavista.com/ and translate the site from chinese to english.. voila

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  

    Re: No Subject Given

    identicon
    Jimmy, Jun 22nd, 2004 @ 5:39am

    Hi,
    I would really like to get past my ckool filter on my laptop.Cos its really fast for downloading tunes.Also it is really stupid cos they block eduacational sites aswell.The problem is that i am a boarder here.So i can never use this at home either.Is a proxy the only way we can do this.
    Thanx,Jimmy.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  10.  

    whats your proxy

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Sep 8th, 2004 @ 5:25am

    Hey ive got a crazy filter here at school too and using a proxy like yours would be a great help, do you think you could give me the address?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  11.  

    Re: WEBSENSE

    identicon
    luke taylor, May 11th, 2006 @ 3:55am

    just go into options in start and click in programm someting. then change the get rid of the blocker

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  12.  

    TUKI

    identicon
    les, May 16th, 2006 @ 5:37pm

    this is nuts. my parents put a silly web filter named TUKI on my computer. it is nothing more than a filter i am sure but i do not know how to break it. can anyone help me with it?

    http://www.childrenseducationalnetwork.com/

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  13.  

    HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

    identicon
    Tibby, Jun 22nd, 2006 @ 8:02am

    i do not understand how to get around websense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please tell me NOW and explain EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  14.  
    identicon
    ala, Sep 22nd, 2006 @ 9:00am

    do u kno how to get to myspace

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  15.  

    getting around filters

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Oct 5th, 2006 @ 8:23pm

    just go to google and search for "web based proxy", and start testing sites. Here are some I know.

    www.smallproxy.com
    www.calculatepie.com
    www.flyproxy.com
    www.fishswimfast.com
    www.birds flyfast.com

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  16.  

    filters and such

    identicon
    scott mazeltov, Dec 7th, 2006 @ 9:23pm

    u could use a unix shell via ssh.......myspace.com isnt to shabby under links or lynx...if you dont mind text only.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  17.  

    Re: filters and such

    identicon
    scott mazeltov, Dec 7th, 2006 @ 9:28pm

    well, it doesn't have to be text only....if you have ftp access to your shell, you can save images then download them via secure ftp.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  18.  

    Re: WEBSENSE

    identicon
    cant say, May 1st, 2007 @ 3:57pm

    www.surfunblock.info will let u get around any system the school has so go to it during school and be amazed

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  19.  

    Re: getting around filters

    identicon
    lol, Oct 19th, 2007 @ 7:39am

    these are porno sites .....

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  20.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Dec 9th, 2007 @ 11:36pm

    the thing is, there's no use searching for proxy sites. the schoolfilter.org.uk blocks them all. unless someone designs a program to filter the school filter there is no way you can get round this.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  21.  

    Re: No Subject Given

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Feb 23rd, 2009 @ 7:09am

    everything is blocked though, even the proxy's.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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