George Orwell has struck again! In a 1984 style action, the UK government is censoring websites just like the Chinese government.

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/UK_ISPs_erect_%27Great_Firewall_of_Britain%27_to_censor_Wikipedia

Wikinews has learned that at least six of the United Kingdom's main Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have implemented monitoring and filtering mechanisms that are causing major problems for UK contributors on websites operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, amongst up to 1200 other websites. Wikinews has also learned that some ISPs have blocked customers from accessing some Wikimedia websites including the free, online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, altogether. The filters appear to be applied because Wikimedia sites are hosting a Scorpions album cover which some call child pornography. Scorpions are a German rock band who have used several controversial album covers and are perhaps best known for their song, "Rock You Like a Hurricane".

When I initially clicked on this thread, I thought it was gonna be about how Martin and Andrew wouldn't let us link to certain websites....

Yeah, me too.

just as long as UK doesn't ban Alba sites, it's all kosher.

I can't say I disagree with what they blocked.

Scorpions cover was in pretty bad taste.

Maybe its kind of funny, but not if you have a daughter. The fact that there are so many pervs who get off on that is the problem, not the content.

Posted by Silverfuel:

I know what you mean Nalod and I understand you are only playing devils advocate. IMO, it isn't where it starts but where will it stop? Right now its the album, 10 years later the democrats will censor republican blogs. who knows where it will stop.

Free speach has long been an issue generations have long been worried about. I think if anything "big brother" can really keep a pulse on things just by snooping.

Porno is the largest use of the internet and preditory activity is a problem. Sure we should all watch our kids, and most of us do, but I am ok with some things not being that openly available. Art is interpretive, and we'll argue for days what is, and whats not.

I think the sysetem has gotten better regarding porn being available for free but the fact still remains enough garbage can be had and is too accessable.

I know I might be contradicting myself byt there is a big difference with a nude baby swimming and that of a 12 year old nude with her genitals distorted. If the system wants to block that visual thats ok, but you can still buy the albums so its no like its really being censured.

For now, the system is not censured so lets not get too busy with it.

update: http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2008/12/scorpions-virgin-killer-cover-banned-uk/
Basically, it didn't work. Many more people tried to access it.

Wikipedia users are now again able to view the cover of the 1976 album, ‘Virgin Killer’, by The Scorpions.

Access to the Wikipedia page was blocked after worries that the cover, featuring a naked girl would be illegal. Approximately 95% of people in Britan were unable to access the page because internet providers agreed to enforce a ban of the page by blocking access to it.

The Internet Watch Foundation lifted the restrictions after taking into account “the length of time the image has existed and its wide availability”.

Before the ban, the album cover was relatively obscure becasue of its age and because it represented the Scorpion’s phychedelic rock stage before they ventured into harder rock, but what happened is that when the ban was started, an overwhelming amount of people were intrigued by the story and tried to search for the cover graphics on the internet.

In a statement the IWF stated “IWF’s overriding objective is to minimize the availability of indecent images of children on the internet, however, on this occasion our efforts have had the opposite effect.” They acknowledged the growth in people trying to seek out the cover after they started the ban.