Not to Be! Library Blocks 'Hamlet' for Being Too Violent

[Guest]

A British writer was shocked to find that an online version of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" had been blocked from the British Library's Web server.

Not to Be! Library Blocks 'Hamlet' for Being Too Violent : Read more

 

[HEXiT]

yeah its getting ridiculous in the uk as far as censorship goes... to many conservatives want to take us back to the 18th century. and they think by censoring the web locally they can do it.. sorry to say i and many other like me wont allow it to happen because we will provide any 1 who asks the means to bypass these illegal blocks... the British public didnt ask for this draconian censorship but the few at the top have gotten ahead of themselves and started implementing it without asking for public approval... idiots they seem to have forgotten they work for us, they are public servants not out rulers.

 

[s3anister]

The article title and body are rather misleading until the end when it's finally revealed that the library accidentally blocked hamlet. Some proper editing would be really useful here.

 

[dalethepcman]

Soon he will have to OPT in with his ISP, there might be porn hiding out inside that play!!

 

[HEXiT]

thing is this is typical. you go into any government owned facility, like a library and you will see the doctrine is block first and then make an excuse when its found out...

 

[Jim Greer]

S3anister The article is not misleading at all. It was never suggested that the library blocked Hamlet specifically. However, it was the fact that they installed a web filter that led to the site being blocked. They have apparently tweaked the filter to allow this site to go through but it will not be very long before another site and then another is blocked. The Internet is vast and it is not feasible for every institution or even every Internet provider to manually unlock every site that is wrongly blocked. I think it is highly likely that the British Library would NOT have installed a filter of it had not come bundled with their Internet access. They just kept it on through inertia and now seem to accept that they need a filter. This will inevitably happen with households and people will begin to accept severe restrictions on the Internet.
Read my blogpost for more info.
http/fearthenextpage.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/why-camerons-default-porn-filters-will.html

 

[Jim Greer]

I dread to think what will happen with Shakespeare plays that make reference to Cock combs.

 

[falcompsx]

wow...just...wow. Looks like they are trying to challenge China for ridiculous amounts of censorship.

 

[amoralman]

Right. They installed the web filter and did not configure it properly. It was "click n go". I call BS, it's just another power trip of an ultra conservative person pushing it's view down other's throats.

 

[phatboe]

at my library you can watch pr0n

 

[abbadon_34]

Heh brits, with no constitution they'll censor anything. Here its the opposite problem.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Argument for SSL/TLS/HTTPS?

 

[Parrdacc]

"Censorship reflects a society's lack of confidence in itself."
-Potter Stewart,
former U.S. Supreme Court Justice

 

[gggplaya]

@HEXiT
The irony is it's the liberals who are taking away freedoms and acting like rulers. Look at Mayor Bloomberg, he think he knows what best for people. Like using stop and frisk policies and banning sodas over 16oz.

This is a PUBLIC free wifi service where children have access to it. They have to filter for porn and violent content. You don't need public approval for that, it's just common sense. Just like their books, they aren't going to have playboy and hustler on the shelves, nor books that glorify killing people. The filter will never be perfect because it's impossible for people to stay on top of millions of webpages which are constantly updated. They also admitted the blocking was an error. I don't think this is draconian at all, unlike china which blocks media and news of the atrocities they commit.

If it's your home internet, you can do whatever you want inside the privacy of your own home. But out in the public censorship is necessary, otherwise people would just walk around naked, poop in the streets and beat each other up for no reason.

 

[happyballz]

Anyone remember that commercial with a guy in a library asking for "prohibited" books from couple of elections ago?

It was a guy asking librarian where he can find a list of books... she looks at the list and says that she cannot help him...he ask why and then she presses a button and 2 men in suits come to the counter and tell him that he will need to come with them [for questioning].

This crap is becoming in reality...push back now or it will only get worse.

And stop-it with the "it's for the children" bullshit. If a kid has to use the computer either make parents watch him or if caught, just kick kids out. You know...like they use to do. It should be ABSOLUTELY unrestricted since your taxes paid for it.

 

[EddieLomax]

Sounds right to me, can I suggest a regular book burning ceremony too of any books that break the web filter settings, as obviously the web filter is a good thing and we should remove this filth from access forever. If anyone objects just mention its for the children as they will always remain children and therefore will always need to be protected in Britain.

Welcome to Britain where the loonies are running the asylum.