UK Gov. Clueless About Own Internet Blacklist

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday March 17, 2009 @08:56PM from the get-me-someone-with-a-clue dept.

spge writes "Computer Shopper magazine has interviewed the UK Home Office about its relationship with the Internet Watch Foundation and discovered that the government doesn't actually know what the IWF does, although it still plans to force UK ISPs to subscribe to the IWF's blacklist. The main story makes for interesting reading, but the best bit is the full transcript of the interview. Short version: the IWF investigates suspected child porn websites and adds any it finds to a list that ISPs can use to block these sites; uk.gov wants ISPs to use this list; however, the IWF is not an official government organization, does not appear to have legal permission to view child pornography, and quite possibly is breaking the law by doing so."

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New title required.... by cb95amc · 2009-03-17 21:17 · Score: 5, Informative

You could just get away with:
"UK Gov. Clueless"
Re:Or in other words... by LilBlackKittie · 2009-03-17 21:24 · Score: 5, Informative

I believe that ACPO (the Association of Chief Police Officers) have written a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in which they state that IT technicians investigating the matter will not be prosecuted... even though technically they are still breaking the law. Not a good set of circumstances at all!
Re:Who watches the watchers? by xaxa · 2009-03-17 21:56 · Score: 5, Informative

The whole premiss of the IWF is that looking at this stuff makes you into a child-molesting pervert.
No, only people without clearance can be made into a a child-molesting pervert by viewing those thing.
If you read the interview, you'll see that the IWF does not have clearance to view child pornography.