When N2H2 Mistakenly Calls Your Website 'Porn'? 64
Scott Auge asks: "Should one be able to sue a filtering company for libel? After seeing an article top) about filtering software for sites, I decided to take a look at how mine is listed. Upon punching my site in at this N2H2 form, I see it listed as pornography. One look at my site, and you will know it is far from pornography. doesn't seem quite right to me. Opinions?"
Here's what I wrote to them (Score:5, Funny)
Not libel (Score:1, Troll)
I tried to help (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:1)
Not porn? (Score:5, Funny)
In the words of some bender-like entity: "Look at the schematics of that revised algebaric evaluator. Hubba, hubba!"
Libel? (Score:5, Informative)
Also see defamation [findlaw.com].
This is the best you can get from Slashdot. As usual, for a real answer, you're going to need to consult a lawyer. I especially note that slander/libel is done on the state level according to findlaw, so since you don't give your state of residence, and because few if any posters are likely to understand the details of interstate legal interactions for things like this (including me!), it's probably impossible for even a lawyer who happens to be cruising Slashdot giving out free advice (also known as "casting pearls before swine") to give you a solid answer.
Re:Libel? (Score:2)
Re:Libel? (Score:2)
it caused me harm... i was bored for a while
Re:Libel? (Score:2)
For another example, it isn't against the law to have an accident. But you still have to pay for the damages.
Re:Libel? (Score:2)
most of the popular reasons for being at fault include violating traffic laws (going too fast for conditions, being in the improper lane, running a red light, hitting a pedestrian, etc)
as a more prudent example... lets say you and i operate cd stores. You chose to sell cds at your stores with a smaller markup than I do. You're still making a profit on cds. This causes me monetary harm, since customers will go to your store instead
Re:Libel? (Score:1)
It varies from state to state, but a rule of thumb is something like : "did the defendent act in a way that a reasonable and prudent person would act"... Other things come into play such as "could the defendant have reasonably prevented the harm", and "did the defendent take all necessary steps to mitigate further harm once they learned of the harm, or potential for harm".
It's a lot of factors, there are probably some I am forgetti
Use the Review Site button (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Use the Review Site button (Score:2)
What if you run an online store, and have been blocked for years without knowing?
This product could have been responsible for quite a few lost sales - shouldn't this be compensated for?
Re:Use the Review Site button (Score:1, Insightful)
However the BSA or RIAA do it would be good enough if it were my site.
Re:Use the Review Site button (Score:2)
Try again.
Re:Use the Review Site button (Score:1)
Re:Use the Review Site button (Score:2)
Whether or not you would have paid for the song is irrelevant. You still infringed upon the copyright, and that is actionable. I don't buy into the
Re:Use the Review Site button (Score:2)
Re:Use the Review Site button (Score:2, Informative)
Definitely not.
Un-American! (Score:5, Funny)
Attitudes like yours are the reason we have so many skeletal lawyers collapsing from hunger in the street.
I don't know how they do things in *your* country, but *here* we drive our SUVs straight to the attorney no matter what happens.
(It's a joke, son)
Re:Do they have a "Useless" category? (Score:1)
see what happens ;)
Re:Do they have a "Useless" category? (Score:1)
Re:Do they have a "Useless" category? (Score:1)
If there is no reason to block a site, why would it be in the database.
I think that you are lacking logic. If it is not there, then there is nothing there to block the site for.
Just a few weeks ago, they blocked slashdot for being message boards and profanity. I sent them a message, and it was fixed the next day (that was cool). Now, if they haven't "unintentionally" blocked it again, it should have no description.
Re:Do they have a "Useless" category? (Score:1, Troll)
I think that you are lacking humor. Teh funny kind. Get a grip, lighten up.
-B
Re:Do they have a "Useless" category? (Score:2)
Perhaps... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Dear Slashdot (Score:3, Funny)
I would like for you to link to my web site so I can get some more hits. I found a flimsy excuse that I might be listed in some blacklist somewhere, so I'm sure that will make me more popular. Thank you.
Pretty good, but more like: "I went to the trouble to list my own site in a blacklist somewhere..."
Re:Dear Slashdot (Score:2)
Just think, if he'd said "I went to N2H2 with Mozilla..." it would have made front page!
You think that's bad ... (Score:3, Funny)
Actually, this might be a good thing.... (Score:3, Funny)
I suggest you change your page title to "scat titty licker teen pussy horse hardcore" to amplify this effect.
Virtual hosted? (Score:4, Insightful)
So, if IP address s.y.z.a serves both your site and www.pervertsinculverts.com, then you will be besmirched by them, since you share the same server.
It sucks, but then, all content filtering like this sucks.
Reviewing sites for N2H2 (Score:1)
My site isn't listed... (Score:1)
Yeah!
They do that to 100,000s of sites (Score:3, Informative)
Check out my introduction to censorware [lightspawn.org]. Most slashdotters will already be familiar with all of this except maybe some of the arguments.
P.S. Yes, I wrote "thump". Intentionally.
Oh, just give it up... (Score:1)
Go on! Get to it, I'm not going to wait all day.
Oh, who am I kidding... I will too wait all day.
who knows where your webring link (Score:1)
Re:who knows where your webring link (Score:1)
to porn or not to porn... (Score:4, Insightful)
...or rather, how do they do the rating anyway?
Just for the thrill, I ran one of my own websites* thru the system, and this is what I got:
The Site: won-tolla.future.easyspace.com is categorized by N2H2 as: Web Page Hosting/Free Pages
The site you submitted resides on a Web page hosting server that provides Web page hosting for their users such as homepages that share a common domain. These sites include those provided by ISPs, University/education servers, free Web page hosts, etc. Although many of these Web page providers post rules and regulations for content, they do not always adequately monitor this content. Users often abuse Web page services by posting offensive content under multiple pseudonyms.
Now, this site contains stuff that can be labeled, among other things, pornographic. It also contains a lot of other stuff, but thats beside my point right now.
My point is; they seem to rate domains on what you're most likely to find there - not the induvidual sites.
*)The same that is showing up there, just under my nick.
google cache listed as "loop hole site" (Score:4, Informative)
never mind... (Score:2)
internet way-back machine (archive.org [archive.org]) is not listed at all.
Slashdot was banned at one point, too. (Score:1)
My website (Score:2)
"Im sorry this site has been blocked for offensive content " 01 Lingere". EH???
Interesting (Score:1)
Make sure to report back when you do!
Yay (Score:2)
Porn? Are there people out there who get turned on by goatse? o_O
Links go to the same URL (Score:2)
Have you ever noticed that pattern in porn sites?
80%+ of the links go to http://domain.porn/register
Maybe it's just that.
Also, snippets like "Demo", "Contact", "!!! WANTED !!!", "gearing up", "is coming", "files and attach" (all from your site) can be potentially offensive!
Funny Story (Score:1)
At my school, we use an N2H2 proxy, and a proxy known as Bess. The N2H2 one is the more modern one, and is used on all the computers.
On the N2H2 proxy, I have noticed that they often mistakenly block sites for porn. In my opinion, I think there is some bug in their system.
Their policy remains clear that there is a several step reviewing process before declaring any site unacceptable. But, still, many sites get blocked. If you notice a site that is not porn that is blocked, just send them
Re:Funny Story (Score:1)
There are many reasons that sites can be rated as porn when they shouldn't be - the most common is when they sit on the same server as a pornographic site. It is difficult for the software to tell that the server has heterogeneous content on it if it is using a single IP address. N2H
Spam? (Score:1)
ORBS, RBL (or whatever the modern anti-spam analogues are) offer opinions about hosts on the Internet with regards to their mail output. In their opinions, certain open relays spread spam, and there's a mean
URL parsing? (Score:1)
My site wasnt listed (Score:1)
16th birthday present from dad
not on their list phew....
What porn? (Score:1)