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UK Gov. Clueless About Own Internet Blacklist

Posted by kdawson on 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."

2 of 203 comments (clear)

  1. Re:The title should read... by daveime · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    You'd expect economic departments to understand economics

    Tell that to Alan Greenspan, who is still guest speaking at sponsored luncheons.

    "Oops, turns out the advice I've been giving for the past 30 years was wrong ... I can't understand it ... how could I have been so wrong ... system reboot in 5,4,3,2,1 ... cheque please".

  2. Re:Who watches the watchers? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    No, no, no! You've got it all wrong. Looking at CP images makes you a pervert if you are a bad person. It's quite all right if you are a good person. The IWF - like the government, of course - are good people, so there's no problem.

    This is strictly analogous to the logic whereby terrorists who kill people are irredeemably wicked (and usually "mindless"), while governments who kill thousands of times as many people are good (although maybe a tad careless).

    And how many of you who modded that "Insightful" think having governments in charge of health care is a good idea?