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Internet Filter Says F^&k Off Whakatane
Posted by Nick Broughall at 12:53 PM on August 6, 2008
Here's a perfect example of why Internet filters just don't work. Our New Zealand cousins across the ditch living in a place called Whakatane were given a rude shock when they discovered - thanks to an interested tourist - that their town's name was being blocked by an American internet filter.
The reason? In Maori, 'Wh' is pronounced like an 'F'. So that you understand the problem, say it out loud: Fakatane. Say it again: Fakatane. Do you see the problem? It sounds like 'Fuck-a-tarny'.
So because of some phonetics, an internet filter blocked an entire New Zealand town. Sure, it has now been sorted out, but this is still a great example (and yes, we're talking to you, Conroy) of why internet filters just don't work - 9 times out of 10, they filter out perfectly acceptable stuff.
[via News.com.au]
The reason? In Maori, 'Wh' is pronounced like an 'F'. So that you understand the problem, say it out loud: Fakatane. Say it again: Fakatane. Do you see the problem? It sounds like 'Fuck-a-tarny'.
So because of some phonetics, an internet filter blocked an entire New Zealand town. Sure, it has now been sorted out, but this is still a great example (and yes, we're talking to you, Conroy) of why internet filters just don't work - 9 times out of 10, they filter out perfectly acceptable stuff.
[via News.com.au]
Comments
Kev
Posted August 6, 2008 5:40 PM
Hey,
These guys could win the old ntk.net scunthorpe award!
It was created to comemorate the net nanny blocking of the scunthorpe county council website in the UK.
Its good to know that in 5 years the net filtering is still WHucked!
I'm sure KRudd will be recommending this to Aussie ISPs as there new filters!
K