Say That Again

Say That Again

by Mike Masnick




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..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Sep 4th, 2003 @ 6:43pm
  • No Subject Given

    by Anonymous Coward

    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 comment) (link to this comment)

    • Sep 8th, 2003 @ 1:21pm
    • Re: No Subject Given

      by Dani

      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 comment) (link to this comment)

    • Jun 22nd, 2004 @ 5:39am
    • Re: No Subject Given

      by Jimmy

      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 comment) (link to this comment)

    • Sep 8th, 2004 @ 5:25am
    • whats your proxy

      by Anonymous Coward

      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 comment) (link to this comment)

    • Feb 23rd, 2009 @ 7:09am
    • Re: No Subject Given

      by Anonymous Coward

      everything is blocked though, even the proxy's.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    Sep 5th, 2003 @ 7:22am
  • Filters do not work

    by Average Joe

    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 comment) (link to this comment)

    • Sep 8th, 2003 @ 1:24pm
    • Re: Filters do not work

      by Dani

      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 comment) (link to this comment)

    Sep 26th, 2003 @ 6:23am
  • nasty filter!

    by victoria

    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 comment) (link to this comment)

  • Dec 11th, 2003 @ 9:26pm
  • WEBSENSE

    by Jake

    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 comment) (link to this comment)

  • May 16th, 2006 @ 5:37pm
  • TUKI

    by les

    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 comment) (link to this comment)

  • Jun 22nd, 2006 @ 8:02am
  • HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

    by Tibby

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

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Sep 22nd, 2006 @ 9:00am
  • by ala

    do u kno how to get to myspace

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  • Oct 5th, 2006 @ 8:23pm
  • getting around filters

    by Anonymous Coward

    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 comment) (link to this comment)

  • Dec 7th, 2006 @ 9:23pm
  • filters and such

    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 comment) (link to this comment)

  • Dec 9th, 2007 @ 11:36pm
  • by Anonymous Coward

    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 comment) (link to this comment)

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