TRA closes censorship loophole for cellphone internet users after parents complaints

[The_Other_Admin]

TRA orders UAE operators to stop smartphone users from being able to access blocked websites after complaints from parents

The UAE's telecoms regulator has moved to close a loophole that allowed users of smartphones to access banned websites, after complaints from parents that children were using the devices to access pornographic websites.

The head of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), Mohammed Al Ghanim, told UAE newspaper the National that the authority "received a large number of complaints from parents".

Al Ghanim said smartphones such as RIM's Blackerry devices and Apple's iPhone were able to bypass the proxy server that prevents fixed internet users from accessing websites that are prohibited.

It was reported that a technical solution has been found and that the loophole has now been closed after the TRA ordered the UAE's two telecom operators, Etisalat and Du, to stop smartphone users from bypassing the proxy.

http://www.itp.net/578686-uae-regula...le?tab=article

[Yanal]

Most people here in North America buy those types of phones just because of the fact that they want to satisfy themselves with poor choices,to satisfy that hunger that they have. Or some even have the guts to actually use their computers to access it.

[The_Other_Admin]

Well, main point is parents here prefer internet censorship. There are also people who complain about censorship, but majority I've seen prefer censorship of porn sites even people who come from the west. They consider this better environment for raising children, and living here just for this reason now.

[Yanal]

Yes,that's a great issue the parents over there are handling.Here about 90% of the parents are either to busy or plainly just don't care what their kids are doing.

[Ratatosk]

Salam,

I've always found Internet censorship a rather amusing issue. If someone here was alive during the not-so-jolly early 90s--or at least can recall those ghastly years to any degree of sophistication--they might remember the online market was abuzz with automatic "Internet filters" and Net Nannies, automatic programs working behind the browser, automatically censoring and filtering out 'dirty' words from all visited web pages, and deleting pictures that had more than a given percentage of skin hue, making cyberspace safe and sound once more. Taking out vile and repulsive words such as gay produced breathtaking headlines; "President Clinton against marriage". Pictures of faces became black boxes. All of this happened so the children--who were old enough to use the 'net--wouldn't have their lives ruined by being exposed to the real world.

Thing is, while it may certainly be a good thing not to have your kids surfing every porn site on the Internet, is censorship really the only option? If a kid gets unrestricted access to the Internet, the problem is not 'out there', the problem is with the parents. Sure, I might be wrong, but I do not for a minute believe the kids are actually paying for the cell phones, computer or broadband themselves. I am thoroughly convinced it's the parents who are footing the bill. Further, if the children are so unprepared for the outside world that they are scarred for life because they saw a patch of bare skin, then we really have a problem. A problem no filters in the world can fix.

Regards,