Check if your website is being blocked by filters
Our Blocked project aims to improve transparency about web blocking filters used by mobile phone companies and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
Central to this is the Blocked tool, which lets you check to see if yours or any website is being blocked. We’ve used it to unblock thousands of wrongfully censored websites. It’s easy to use, give it a try!
USE OUR WEB TOOL TO CHECK YOUR WEBSITE
TRY IT NOWWhat’s the problem?
Mobile and broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have created filters to stop under 18s from seeing harmful content online. Unfortunately, filters block many harmless websites by mistake – even sites that are aimed at children! Often website owners don’t know that this is happening.
Around 3.5 million households have filters switched on, through choice, or by default. In addition, many mobile phone users have filters enabled as they are on by default.
We need people to use this tool to check and report sites that shouldn’t be filtered. Not only will you be helping website owners, you will also increase transparency about filters by helping us to get a clearer picture about overblocking.
The Story So Far
Ofcom report shows consumers don’t want filters
The ISPs told Ofcom how many customers have been offered the filters, and how many have set them up.How to complain about mobile filtering over-blocking
Yesterday we had a very helpful meeting with the BBFC.O2 pulls blocked URL checker as wave of new customers activate their phones
While O2 are the only company providing any transparency with their checker, this is a bad move.Help ORG monitor UK blocking and filtering
ORG is putting together tools to track what is blocked and where.Blocking: what could possibly go wrong?
We now have two kinds of blocking: firstly, mobile companies, providing one or two levels of filtering, which has to be actively switched off.Ten recommendations to ISPs for dealing with over-blocking
We started looking closely at internet filtering by mobile networks a couple of years ago.Why WordPress bloggers were blocked by TalkTalk, and what it tells us about Internet filtering
At the end of November a number of WordPress blog admins complained on WordPress forums that they were having problems accessing their accounts.BT answers our questions about parental controls
Today BT launched their new Parental Controls service, the latest ISP to roll out network level filters following the Government’s push this summer.Sky’s reply to ORG on default internet filters
Sky are the first Internet Service Provider to send us answers to all of our questions about their default filtering.Virgin and Sky blindly blocking innocent sites
As reported by PC Pro, the systems implemented by both Virgin and Sky to stop access to websites blocked by the courts appear to be blocking innocent third-party sites with apparently little or no human oversight.Website blocking measures lead to inadvertent censorship
TorrentFreak reports today that Sky is currently blocking access to their site.Diane Abbott responds on web forum blocking
On a cycling forum, members who are rightly worried that their forum may be blocked by default filters, Skydancer posted a response he was given by Diane Abbott: I do not believe that the arrangements to protect children from hard core porn online will affect a forum to discuss cycling!A quick guide to Cameron’s default Internet filters
David Cameron wants all British Internet users to make an “unavoidable choice” on whether to switch on default filtering.Who exactly is responsible for ‘nudge censorship’?
In essence, DCMS’s Maria Miller, Claire Perry and David Cameron’s staff have hijacked agreed cabinet policy, pushed for something very different and persuaded ISPs that they should implement significantly worse policies than originally envisaged.Sleepwalking into censorship
The essential detail is that they will assume you want filters enabled across a wide range of content, and unless you un-tick the option, network filters will be enabled.David Cameron is issuing bad advice to parents
Last week, we published a list of questions about the impacts of filtering technologies, on privacy, Internet applications and user awareness of the technology.Questions ISPs must answer about Internet filtering
Over the past few weeks the Government has held meetings with Internet companies about child protection online.Jargon File blocked by O2, Youtube by Orange
Report your blocks here.Website filtering problems are a ‘load of cock’
The motion laid down by Labour says: That this House deplores the growth in child abuse images online; deeply regrets that up to one and a half million people have seen such images; notes with alarm the lack of resources available to the police to tackle this problem; further notes the correlation between viewing such images and further child abuse; notes with concern the Government’s failure to implement the recommendations of the Bailey Review and the Independent Parliamentary Inquiry into Online Child Protection on ensuring children’s safe access to the internet; and calls on the Government to set a timetable for the introduction of safe search as a default, effective age verification and splash page warnings and to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure these changes are speedily implemented.What mobile internet filtering tells us about porn blocks
There’s been plenty of coverage today of calls to do more to block access to pornography, and specifically pornography on the Internet.Sacrificing freedom on the altar of political fears
These are extraordinarily big leaps, with little thought to the consequences.What is the Government’s online child protection policy?
I would prefer to be writing an article with a headline that doesn’t have a question mark at the end.Online gift shop blocked by mobile networks
[Update 10th January 2013] The blocks on the website has now been removed.Confusion over parental Internet controls
Five days ago, the Department for Education announced a very reasonable approach to child protection online.Another church blocked by mobile networks
About this time last year we wrote about a church that had been blocked by O2’s mobile Internet filters.Victory in sight: government signals climb down from “default” filtering?
According to reports this Saturday in the Daily Mail and Telegraph, David Cameron will be asking ISPs to ask customers if they have children, and if so, help them install filtering technology.Update on reported BT block of Black Triangle campaign website
Earlier this week TechWeekly reported the campaign group Black Triangle had complained that their site was being blocked by BT.Reporting ‘over-blocking’ to mobile operators
Since we published our report ‘Mobile Internet censorship: what’s happening and what to do about it‘, jointly with LSE Media Policy project, a number of people have been in touch with us asking what to do if they discover their site is blocked incorrectly by mobile networks’ child protection filters.New reports of overblocking on mobile networks
Since we launched our new research about Mobile Internet censorship on Monday, there’s been a rise in the number of reports to our website Blocked.Mobile Internet censorship: what’s happening and what to do
Today we’re launching a new report called “Mobile internet censorship: what’s happening and what we can do about it“, which is a joint publication with LSE Media Policy Project.Peace advocates’ website is blocked as porn on UK mobile networks
The past few days have seen a lot of attention given to the neo Mary Whitehouse campaign for default censorship.Orange UK blocking La Quadrature du Net
Through reports to the blocked.UK Mobile operators censor privacy tool ‘Tor’
Open Rights Group and Tor have established that UK mobile networks such as Vodafone, O2 and 3 are filtering UK users’ access to Tor’s primary website (meaning the HTTP version of the Tor Project website, rather than connections to the Tor network) on pre-paid contractless accounts.O2 bans church this Christmas
For the last four months, and despite repeated complaints, O2 has blocked the website of a Sheffield church, claiming it features adult content.How does mobile Internet filtering work?
All the major UK mobile operators have Internet filtering schemes that block certain content from users.Default censorship is a bad idea
Yesterday and this morning we heard calls from government ministers and others for Internet Service Providers to block adult sites by default on customers’ accounts.UKNOF5: Richard Clayton – Content Filtering
Just popped in to the 5th UK Network Operators Forum to hear ORG advisory Council member Richard Clayton talk on content filtering.More Information
17 June, 2019
ORG Regulation Report II
This report follows our research into current Internet content regulation efforts, which found a lack of accountable, balanced and independent procedures governing content removal, both formally and informally by the state.
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30 May, 2019
Collateral Damage in the War Against Online Harms
A summary of this report is also available on Top10 VPN’s website here.
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17 December, 2012
Parental controls and Internet filtering fact sheet
Context
Over the summer of 2012, the Department for Education consulted on whether Internet filters should be turned on by default for the purposes of online child protection.
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29 June, 2012
Digital Privacy
Internet censorship and child protection
What’s happening?
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14 May, 2012
Digital Privacy
Mobile Internet censorship: what’s happening and what we can do about it
This report is about mobile Internet censorship.
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Press Releases
28 October, 2015
ORG response to David Cameron’s call for web filter law
Jim Killock, Executive Director of Open Rights Group (ORG) said:
“We welcome the opportunity to have a debate about filters, which are flawed, censor websites and do not necessarily keep children safe online.
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14 November, 2014
ORG response to extremist sites being blocked by ISP web filters
Open Rights Group has responded to the announcement that ISPs will add extremist websites to filters designed to protect children from seeing adult content.
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02 July, 2014
ORG’s Blocked project finds almost 1 in 5 sites are blocked by filters
Open Rights Group Blocked project finds almost 1 in 5 websites tested are blocked by web filters
High level of variation between ISPs suggest filters are not consistent in protecting children
Overblocking is affecting bloggers, businesses and web users
A Porsche broker, a political blogger and a mum hoping to read an article about post pregnancy care are among those that have been affected by filters designed to protect young people from adult content.
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14 December, 2012
ORG victory on parental controls
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group welcomed the Department for Education response to their consultation on parental controls.
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31 August, 2012
Porn filtering: stop the Daily Mail Nanny State
With less than a week to go before the close of the “adult content” filtering consultation, Open Rights Group is urging people to let the Department for Education know that default blocking would be disastrous.
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28 June, 2012
We must not set up network censorship
Reacting to the DfE’s new consultation, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“This can of worms pushes censorship technologies and could damage access to perfectly legitimate and innocent websites.
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15 May, 2012
New ORG report reveals UK mobile Internet censorship
Open Rights Group and LSE Media Policy Project launched a new report, ‘Mobile Internet censorship: what’s happening and what we can do about it‘ [1] on Monday 14th May.
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04 May, 2012
Cameron wrong to push default porn blocks
Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“We welcome a consultation but default filternets are awful.
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27 April, 2012
Labour wrong to back Claire Perry “default blocking”
Reacting to the Daily Mail‘s reports that Labour would be backing Claire Perry’s calls for default blocking of adult content, Jim Killock said:
“Default blocks are a form of censorship.
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18 April, 2012
Claire Perry’s “default blocking” would censor adults and fail children
Commenting on Claire Perry’s committee findings, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group said:
“These recommendations, if enacted, would endanger children, create disruption for small business, and would not work technically.
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11 October, 2011
Censorware or child protection?
Tuesday 11 October
Reacting to news of new agreements between ISPs to block adult content, or forcing adults to opt into to it, Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group, which campaigns for digital rights, said:
“There is a world of difference between offering sensible child safety, and trying to persuade adults to live with layers of censorship.
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