5 ms·

O2 installs 18+ filter on the mobile web

35 points by adam-_- 16y ago

jrockway 16y ago
The restrictions are at the DNS level 8.8.8.8.
- pavel_lishin 16y ago
  But can you change that on a phone?
  - jrockway 16y ago
    Easily. Edit /etc/resolv.conf, write an HTTP proxy, write a web browser, etc. There is probably some GUI way of doing it too.
    - pavel_lishin 16y ago
      Oh, and here I thought it would be difficult even for someone tech savvy. :)(
  - w1ntermute 16y ago
    In case anyone was misled by jrockway's snark, it is actually possible: https://sites.google.com/a/imnuts.net/android/custom-dns-servers https://sites.google.com/a/imnuts.net/android/custom-dns-ser...
    - pavel_lishin 16y ago
      This is just for Android devices, right? People with iPhones, blackberries, etc. are still screwed?
  - biafra 16y ago
    You can usually set a http-proxy in the APN Settings.
pavel_lishin 16y ago
For one specific mobile service provider.
- iaskwhy 16y ago
  Actually I have been using Vodafone Mobile Broadband here in London and it has the same kind of filter. Somehow it disappeared after three weeks. It didn't seem to be as bad as this one from O2 since I did some tests and I was able to see erotic images without a problem, only porn sites seemed to trigger the filter. That and also maybe 5% of all the different sites I have visited on the last month.
  - pavel_lishin 16y ago
    From the headline, I thought this was some sort of government initiative.
    - ionfish 16y ago
      Moral panics have a long history here; a lot of it is due to the sensationalist media culture. Government clampdowns are usually the result of whipped-up public hysteria.
  - dspillett 16y ago
    There is definitely a filter on Vodafone contracts (I use my netbook tethered to my phone), or at least there was in the past. It blocked reddit at one point. I access things via my VPN when I'm mobile anyway these days (to keep non-HTTPS connections from prying eyes when I'm on public wireless) so I'd not notice a filter these days.
dazzawazza 16y ago
This article was published on the 4th March and at this moment I can access all sites mentioned in the article and tube8.com without entering any details. I'd suggest the article is a little out of date. I'm a contract customer so they may have updated their policy to exclude all contract customers (who are all over 18) or they may have dropped it. I don't know.
- kingofspain 16y ago
  I used to get this years ago on an O2 pay as you go with old school crappy mobile internet. Can't remember exactly what sites triggered it, but it was something pretty innocuous, perhaps gambling/lottery related. The switch from PAYG to contract made it disappear but it would be foolishly tin-foily of me to assume that this is exactly what O2 wanted to happen.
- adam-_- 16y ago
  Try urbandictionary.com - I've haven't really looked for sites blocked but that's what was pointed out to me.
- nailer 16y ago
  It came into effect for me about a week ago. For 3 years I've topped up with a credit card, so O2 already know my details. I thought it was a scam the first few times I saw it.
jgrahamc 16y ago
This is who's behind this: http://www.imcb.org.uk/ http://www.imcb.org.uk/ and here are the details of the filtering policy: http://www.imcb.org.uk/pdfs/ClassificationFramework.pdf http://www.imcb.org.uk/pdfs/ClassificationFramework.pdf
jarin 16y ago
Sending this to the few of my friends who still think Net Neutrality is a bad idea. If blocked porn can't convince them, nothing will.
- ataggart 16y ago
  Because using the police power of the state against otherwise peaceful organizations is more convenient than taking your business elsewhere, and allows you to substitute your preferences for the revealed preferences of other consumers.
  - jarin 16y ago
    Which works great, if the organizations in question don't have a virtual monopoly on what should be considered a public utility. There is no "elsewhere".
    - ataggart 16y ago
      Does O2 have a monopoly on wireless internet access?
      - jarin 16y ago
        The IMCB is a collaboration between Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, 02, 3 and Virgin Mobile.
        ataggart 16y ago
        Perhaps I wasn't clear. Does O2 have a monopoly on wireless internet access?
- smiler 16y ago
  It's blocking porn for kids - is that _really_ such a bad thing? Anyone who wants to can unlock it
  - 16y ago
glenjamin 16y ago
This happened to a colleague of mine, but I'm on the same network and it didn't happen to me. You can turn it off by either going into an O2 store with some ID, or paying £1 on a credit card - you'll be given £2.50 in credit to your phone bill to compensate.
brackin 16y ago
O2 have had this on my phone for quite a while.

35 points by adam-_- 16y ago

jrockway 16y ago

The restrictions are at the DNS level 8.8.8.8.

pavel_lishin 16y ago
But can you change that on a phone?
- jrockway 16y ago
  Easily. Edit /etc/resolv.conf, write an HTTP proxy, write a web browser, etc. There is probably some GUI way of doing it too.
  - pavel_lishin 16y ago
    Oh, and here I thought it would be difficult even for someone tech savvy. :)(
- w1ntermute 16y ago
  In case anyone was misled by jrockway's snark, it is actually possible: https://sites.google.com/a/imnuts.net/android/custom-dns-servers https://sites.google.com/a/imnuts.net/android/custom-dns-ser...
  - pavel_lishin 16y ago
    This is just for Android devices, right? People with iPhones, blackberries, etc. are still screwed?
- biafra 16y ago
  You can usually set a http-proxy in the APN Settings.

pavel_lishin 16y ago

For one specific mobile service provider.

iaskwhy 16y ago
Actually I have been using Vodafone Mobile Broadband here in London and it has the same kind of filter. Somehow it disappeared after three weeks. It didn't seem to be as bad as this one from O2 since I did some tests and I was able to see erotic images without a problem, only porn sites seemed to trigger the filter. That and also maybe 5% of all the different sites I have visited on the last month.
- pavel_lishin 16y ago
  From the headline, I thought this was some sort of government initiative.
  - ionfish 16y ago
    Moral panics have a long history here; a lot of it is due to the sensationalist media culture. Government clampdowns are usually the result of whipped-up public hysteria.
- dspillett 16y ago
  There is definitely a filter on Vodafone contracts (I use my netbook tethered to my phone), or at least there was in the past. It blocked reddit at one point. I access things via my VPN when I'm mobile anyway these days (to keep non-HTTPS connections from prying eyes when I'm on public wireless) so I'd not notice a filter these days.

dazzawazza 16y ago

This article was published on the 4th March and at this moment I can access all sites mentioned in the article and tube8.com without entering any details. I'd suggest the article is a little out of date. I'm a contract customer so they may have updated their policy to exclude all contract customers (who are all over 18) or they may have dropped it. I don't know.

kingofspain 16y ago
I used to get this years ago on an O2 pay as you go with old school crappy mobile internet. Can't remember exactly what sites triggered it, but it was something pretty innocuous, perhaps gambling/lottery related. The switch from PAYG to contract made it disappear but it would be foolishly tin-foily of me to assume that this is exactly what O2 wanted to happen.
adam-_- 16y ago
Try urbandictionary.com - I've haven't really looked for sites blocked but that's what was pointed out to me.
nailer 16y ago
It came into effect for me about a week ago. For 3 years I've topped up with a credit card, so O2 already know my details. I thought it was a scam the first few times I saw it.

jgrahamc 16y ago

This is who's behind this: http://www.imcb.org.uk/ http://www.imcb.org.uk/ and here are the details of the filtering policy: http://www.imcb.org.uk/pdfs/ClassificationFramework.pdf http://www.imcb.org.uk/pdfs/ClassificationFramework.pdf

jarin 16y ago

Sending this to the few of my friends who still think Net Neutrality is a bad idea. If blocked porn can't convince them, nothing will.

ataggart 16y ago
Because using the police power of the state against otherwise peaceful organizations is more convenient than taking your business elsewhere, and allows you to substitute your preferences for the revealed preferences of other consumers.
- jarin 16y ago
  Which works great, if the organizations in question don't have a virtual monopoly on what should be considered a public utility. There is no "elsewhere".
  - ataggart 16y ago
    Does O2 have a monopoly on wireless internet access?
    - jarin 16y ago
      The IMCB is a collaboration between Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, 02, 3 and Virgin Mobile.
      - ataggart 16y ago
        Perhaps I wasn't clear. Does O2 have a monopoly on wireless internet access?
smiler 16y ago
It's blocking porn for kids - is that _really_ such a bad thing? Anyone who wants to can unlock it
- 16y ago

glenjamin 16y ago

This happened to a colleague of mine, but I'm on the same network and it didn't happen to me. You can turn it off by either going into an O2 store with some ID, or paying £1 on a credit card - you'll be given £2.50 in credit to your phone bill to compensate.

brackin 16y ago

O2 have had this on my phone for quite a while.