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Why Simple Blocked Word Filters Fail
from the so-many-false-positives dept
It's surprising that the big web companies still make use of simple keyword blocking filters for things they want to block out. A few years ago we noted that Google's SafeSearch feature was fairly weak because it banned things like ArkansasExtermination.com (see why?). Now, according to Threadwatch, at least part of Yahoo is doing the same, preventing someone named Callahan from registering their name as an ID, because it contains the word "allah." Now, obviously, this is a quick and dirty method for filtering -- but it seems fairly arbitrary. Shouldn't there at least be a procedure to request a review of a banned name that the user believes is perfectly legitimate? Update: Apparently Yahoo is paying attention to the buzz, having updated the policy to allow names that use "allah." Of course, that isn't really the point -- which had more to do with such keyword filtering, not that particular block.
Reader Comments
(Flattened / Threaded)
No Subject Given
Why would the term 'allah' be blocked anyway? That like blocking 'jesus'.
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No Subject Given
Why would the term 'allah' be blocked anyway? Thats like blocking 'jesus'.
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No Subject Given
Jesus? Why would someone want to block the name of my gardener?
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No Subject Given
Muslim Irish? I guess stranger things HAVE happened!
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Why should there be?
I know this isn't the real meat of the article, but why should a company that offers a FREE service ought to hire people to review the who know how many rejected names that come into yahoo each day? Pick a new name and get on with your life. My last name is "Fuchs", and I obviously can't get a custom licence plate with my last name on it. Should I blame the DMV? Of course not. Yahoo would be sensible to keep things the way they are.
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Re: Why should there be?
try opening a yahoo group and mentioning pedantics in the description.
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Re: Why should there be?
How about Dick Van Dyke? Maybe... Penis Van Lesbian would be ok?
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Re: Why should there be?
I'm fairly sure in Islam it's disrespectful to write or say the name flat out unless it's in prayer, and I'd assume that Yahoo doesn't really want to offend one of the major religions of the world. There's your explanation.
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Keep those fat americand dumb!
I dont see why people need filters. Just keeping us dumb, hell the News is filtered, all we hear is one sided opinions instead of news.
and what the fuck is up with newspapers.. that shit is a day old.. how can it be NEWs.. They should rename it to Yesterday paper or Olds Paper..
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Re: Keep those fat americand dumb!
Please notice the striking irony of that previous poster's name: Super Duper Fucking Smart.
He claims to be "smart" while at the same time misspelling "american" and writing tired, repeated, irrational and vaguely paranoid conspiracy theories.
How does blocking names like Callahan and my personal favorite Penis van Lesbian keep any "americand" dumb? Also, those Mohammed cartoons were pretty unfiltered...Finally, both Reupblicans and Democrats have been complaining about lefist or rightist news sources without rest, and therefore, the opinions are at least two-sided.
Thanks, and sorry for seeming so conceitedly pretentious, but I am mearly human, and therefore subject to my emotions.
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Re: Keep those fat american dumb!
Hey Fucknut, I think you and America foregot the meaning of a theory, so here it is,
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena; "theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and theory"
(((HERE IS WHAT YOU MENT TO SAY))
hypothesis: a tentative theory about the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena; "a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory"; "he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices"
So, all you dumb ass redneck americans especially Republicans, Fox News and CNN including BUSH, now you have been eduMcated on what a THEORY is.
SO if you think a theory is baseless or "bad", it means that you dont even know your ass from your mouth.
>>Whatever Said:
Please notice the striking irony of that previous poster's name: Super Duper Fucking Smart.
He claims to be "smart" while at the same time misspelling "american" and writing tired, repeated, irrational and vaguely paranoid conspiracy theories.
How does blocking names like Callahan and my personal favorite Penis van Lesbian keep any "americand" dumb? Also, those Mohammed cartoons were pretty unfiltered...Finally, both Reupblicans and Democrats have been complaining about lefist or rightist news sources without rest, and therefore, the opinions are at least two-sided.
Thanks, and sorry for seeming so conceitedly pretentious, but I am mearly human, and therefore subject to my emotions
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Re: Keep those fat american dumb!
God, I'm glad I never have to leave the states.
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It was worse in Scunthorpe
There is a story here in the UK that when Scunthorpe Council brought in anti spam software they stopped receiving any emails at all...
Jerry
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Re: Keep those fat american dumb!
I believe I see "Whatever"'s point...
Thanks so much for looking up the word "theory" in a dictionary and typing that definition for us! As stupid Americans, we couldn't have handled that task ourselves.
Now, how about stating a theory? ...maybe thats a little too complex...take your time. We'll talk to you in a few years.
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Re: Keep those fat american dumb!
I just have to add this to defend my honor. I hate to prolong this pointless exchange of barbs any further, but I must.
I believe that I am as little an American redneck Republican as possible.
Thanks for assuming something not only completely wrong but also entirely unfounded.
On another note, thank you, oh so dearly, for "eduMacating" me on what a theory is. It's funny that you spent so many words trying to find fault with one of my possibly misused words while at the same time, ironically, further proving my original point that you are shallow, uneducated, unoriginal and very quick to assign incorrect overly-general roles to people and then spew out old and repeatedly disproven "HYPOTHESES" about how "the man" is keeping Americans dumb.
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Re: Keep those fat americand dumb!
GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST!!! A TYPE-O BEEN FOUND.
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Re: !Keep those fat americans dumb
GOLLY BATMAN, THE DOUBLE-POST DETECTOR IS RINGING AGAIN!
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No Subject Given
This reminds me of a news item from a few years ago. A school teacher who requested the custom license "pedagoge" was denied because the request contained the slanderous term "dago".
Somehow that seemed particularly twisted.
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Specialist
On a similar note, I remember reading a post once where the author was frustrated that their companies email filtered bounced any message with the word 'Cialis'
The problem was he/she worked in the technical field and tended to get a lot of emails with the word, speCIALISt, which of course would get bounced for no good reason.
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I believe they used the same filter matching algorithim AKA "*.*"in 2000 to remove 50,000 voters from the Florida electoral roles.
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RETADS
ARE U CRAZY
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stupid and retarded
diss is bullshit...i swear
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I am glad they block alah
Actually, I am glad that they block allah. If you want the real truth about Islam, listen to Avi Lipkin. He has spent years studying the Islamic cult and all its rituals. I hope they never Block Jesus Christ.
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access denied
I'm a frustrated teacher who is just trying to check my home e-mail from work.
It really bugs me that the kids can get to myspace and I can't even check my e-mail. They are so much smarter than me about computers!
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?
i dont get the topic the story,
it looks like an amateur teenagerwrote this it looks pretty dumb to me.
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My Name
Please never block my name.
It's all i have to live for!
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Re: My Name
I Agree!!
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