This site got filtered at work

So there I was at work on Monday and I find that I can no longer get to this site while at work on Monday as it has been filtered as being "art, cutural forums, with nudity" there were a few more words but those were the catchy ones. I could still get on DPR, FM, POTN, NL, LL and my own site, but then today I lost LL as well to the same category, but the others were accessible.

Not that it matters much as today was my last day to work there, but I found it interesting in what they picked to filter out. I would have filterd out DPR myself long before this or LL. And POTN actually has a Glamour & N___s sub-forum available so I could have seen that one go, but not the professional sites which actually have good and accurate information on them. And Mine was just asking for it if you went beyond the disclaimer page (although I never actually went beyond the disclaimer page at work), knowing how the filter works it is all or nothing for a URL.

We will ignore whether my use at work was completely legitimate or not as it would be debatable, but since I do sensor research I find some of the camera sensor discussions helpful in understanding the sensors I worked with. And I did every task assigned to me and beyond in a timely fashion so I did what I was supposed to be doing. I just found it intersting which sites they filter out. And I would have bowed out a year ago if I had not been able to visit these sites to give me something to keep my mind up while at work.

Anyway thought I would share, because I know they use a common filter (or filters), I just don't know which ones. and I am sure some other folks have been filtered out in the past week probably.

I think we might make a gif with that word or do a global find and replace to remove every instance of that word.

Asher

Hi everyone,

I have removed all instances of the word nu__, which is abbreviated for the syn. of stark, totally, totally, unclothed attractive human form, which for some obscure reason, computers with prurient interest seek out.

This natural, useful, decent, everyday word has been offered up reluctantly like an Inca sacrifice to placate the anger of the BOTS.

I do hope that they will self heal, now that the offending word will no longer be used.

However, please be assured that no thought will be censored. Just one has to pick another word or use n_d_ or n___ or figure study etc so that one can announce your picture appropriately.

As before there are no restrictions at OPF as in the TOS.

I hope this allays any concerns.

Please let me know if the problem persists!

Asher

Back to original topic, now that we know we should use "not appropriately dressed to meet the parents"

These engines all work by having a proxy server to which you have to pass through to access the internet. There are a few applications used for web filtering (sitting on the proxy server), WebSense being one of them. It works by WebSense publishing lists of categories and assigning web sites to different categories and the geeks in the security department decide which categories to block. Week by week, web sites are changed in the categories they are assigned to. For example one Monday, LinkedIn was blocked as a "Forum" but by Wednesday, it was out of that category and worked again. One time Microsoft was blocked as being a "Download" category, but after a few hours it was changed. Complete mystery.

I made the mistake of installing it at my work but then moving onto another position and found that they changed my original list to also block "forums" - so none of these Photo sites are available through normal connections... And as I was no longer in the team, I would have to apply through normal channels to get access to sites, but these are logged and monitored.

You can always try to access an anonymous proxy - unless that category is also blocked, in which case you have to work out how they re-direct your web traffic to the proxy server. If they have Cisco routers, then it is probably automatically redirected. There are various ways to hack your way around them

Well,

Could people let me know if we are blocked at work? Tim, are you there?

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Well,

Could people let me know if we are blocked at work? Tim, are you there?

Asher

Click to expand...

Not blocked here! Thank God!

Richard

Asher Kelman said:

Well,

Could people let me know if we are blocked at work? Tim, are you there?

Asher

Click to expand...

I am here, but not there.

As I mentioned in my post, yesterday was my LAST day to work there and I no longer have access to those computers. So unfortunately I can't check to see if others can get to it today.

My personal computers have none of those evil filters as being a single adult over 18 years of age, I let me have access to everything that is on the net. But I don't go online as much at home or stay on as long for mutliple reasons, the biggest being I have other things to do, when I am home - like edit pictures, take more pictures and sleep.

As a trivia note: I have officially moved from Contractor to Consultant (as far as my day-job was concerned (this means I keep my clearance as backup and work about once a month or so)) and Part-time Professional to mostly Full-time Professional photographer. Now to see if I can actually make enough spending money at it. If I don't buy anything, being military retired I can live on what I get for retirement.

Of course none of this actually occurs until I get back from traveling. Leaving 1 Apr, back 13 May - limited commincations in between. Will be attending workshop at Palm Springs Photo Festival 6-11 May just before coming back to Virginia.

Dear Asher,

Have a look at:-
http://websense.com/global/en/ProductsServices/MasterDatabase/URLCategories.php#productivity

these are the categories by which web sites are categorised. I know Open Photography is on the "Message Boards and Clubs" but is not on the ""Grown-Ups" Material" (February 07). Fotocommunity is the same and it has a lot more "grown up material" photos in it.

Websense uses a sophisticated engine but also uses a lot of human input to check the auto-generated classification (btw I have no affiliation to websense or any other IT vendor).

Whether Open Photography is blocked is entirely dependent upon the company you are working at. In mine, a guy in NJ decided after I left that he would add "message boards and clubs" along with "media streaming" - the latter was overturned but the first remains. So, maybe you can find out which categories you are classified under and appeal if one of them does not match your thoughts.

yours

Ravi