My good friend Francisco Goya emailed me to report that this blog - this actual blog you are reading - is now blocked to passengers using the wi-fi on First buses in the UK, since it contains inappropriate content.
Good heavens. Whatever next. Etc.
My first reaction is that, since I was brought up to trust that responsible business corporations cannot possibly be wrong, First are almost certainly correct to take such action. Further, it pleases me to see that protection of the feelings and moral values of their customers should figure in First's strategic gameplan. Good for them.
I am not well placed at present to research just why I am off the official reading list, but I am free to play games in my mind, and to imagine some story which happens to suit me. I may look further into this, but I sincerely hope that First still allow their passengers to visit the website of The S*n, plus various dating agencies and gossip fora, to keep their views clean and patriotic.
I may not lose a lot of sleep over this.
Many wargames blogs are blocked at my work because of guns references.
ReplyDeleteI was pretty sure it would be somthing of that ilk, though it would be more fun to pretend I'd been identified as a dangerous subversive. Sad thing is, I can't think who or what I might possibly represent. Never mind. Thanks, Pat.
DeleteI reckon a previous winner of your highly coveted Donkey Award (patent pending) has taken umbrage at winning said award and only found out while travelling in the luxuriously appointed coaches of said pleb transportation company.
DeleteMaybe the word "hooptedodle" sounds a little too racy for them?
I must say there are a lot more offensive things to read on the old interwebs, like the electronic versions of Rupert's fish n chip wrappers.
That feels better - yes - much more subversive. It would be marvellous to think someone had actually been wounded by a Donkey Award, though I fear it may be a long shot...
DeleteAll hail, King Rupert - we are not worthy. I had sort of hoped his recent marriage might have killed him off, but no luck yet. [Are you reading this, Roopy? Upstairs on the 08:17 to Dunfermline?]
So you're officially a subversive? Fair enough. I just knew this free speech concept would never catch on.
ReplyDeleteI'll send you a postcard from Camp Trump - the blue crayon bits will be by someone else.
DeleteI wonder whether buses and the like have to be more 'observant' of such things as 'potentialy' inappropriate content, because a screen would be visible to other passengers at any one time.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine which keywords have been enough to 'highlight' your blog, but I know in some work places something as simple as 'game' can block.
Hi Norm - beats me - it makes sense to restrict access in workplaces and schools, and - seriously - I would like to see heavier penalties for inadequate moderation (by the people who run, for example, football fan hate sites, and politico/racist forums) - come to think of it, that might result in bus companies blocking potentially dodgy sites, in case they incur vicarious liability for offending some passenger by not protecting him adequately.It isn't easy this,is it? Maybe the T&Cs passengers have to agree to when they sign on should state "anything you see here which upsets you is not our fault, and was published by some other w***er".
DeleteI was thinking along 'Norm's' lines this morning when I first read this post...which keywords have been picked up resulting in the block? 'War' 'Combat' 'Battle' etc, still does not make sense, but you can rest assured it's not a rational decision made by a real person ..... but then what is rational in this mad world of ours?
ReplyDeleteNothing dodgy about your site sir, but then sometimes I think I'm losing my grip on reality, did I really see Trump shaking the hand of Nigel Farage on the news this morning? Now that's what I would describe as 'dodgy'!
Thanks Lee - this may be complicated slightly if the owners of First bus are themselves bots. And then there's the passengers - are they bots too? This worrying - what if all the comments here are generated by some malign algorithm?
DeleteOh dear, oh dear.
Perhaps First bus held a referendum and failed to invite us to participate. I would take it as a badge of honour.
ReplyDeleteI shall wear it with pride.
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