For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons, as:
This site was categorized in: Photo Sharing, File Storage, Software/Technology, Research/ Reference, Non-Profits, Visual Search Engines
Wikipedia, including its commons-hosted images, is not blocked. I have reached out to them more than once on Twitter to ask for an unblock, or who to speak to about requesting one, but they have never replied.
Apart from e-mailing them ,which I shall do shortly, what other action might we take, as a community? Do any of you have contacts in the organisation?
Normally the blocking page gives you a link to write to as this is often contracted out. I believe most of these filtering services try to respond to reasonable unblocking requests.
East Midland trains are fine for Wikimedia projects but block Wikipediocracy (hurrah). I'll not be bothering to write to them about unblocking Wikipediocracy and though they also block Grindr, I think most lads use their mobile data for socializing.
On 14 January 2014 20:26, Andy Mabbett andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons, as:
This site was categorized in: Photo Sharing, File Storage, Software/Technology, Research/ Reference, Non-Profits, Visual Search Engines
Wikipedia, including its commons-hosted images, is not blocked. I have reached out to them more than once on Twitter to ask for an unblock, or who to speak to about requesting one, but they have never replied.
Apart from e-mailing them ,which I shall do shortly, what other action might we take, as a community? Do any of you have contacts in the organisation?
-- Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing http://pigsonthewing.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
There may be some "for bandwidth reasons" excuse that Chiltern use to block Commons; that's why East Coast block imgur (and YouTube) after all. If you can get their wifi to work.
What's the reason for blocking Grindr anyway, Fae? And would they also block, say, okcupid?
On 14 January 2014 20:47, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Normally the blocking page gives you a link to write to as this is often contracted out. I believe most of these filtering services try to respond to reasonable unblocking requests.
East Midland trains are fine for Wikimedia projects but block Wikipediocracy (hurrah). I'll not be bothering to write to them about unblocking Wikipediocracy and though they also block Grindr, I think most lads use their mobile data for socializing.
On 14 January 2014 20:26, Andy Mabbett andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons, as:
This site was categorized in: Photo Sharing, File Storage, Software/Technology, Research/ Reference, Non-Profits, Visual Search Engines
Wikipedia, including its commons-hosted images, is not blocked. I have reached out to them more than once on Twitter to ask for an unblock, or who to speak to about requesting one, but they have never replied.
Apart from e-mailing them ,which I shall do shortly, what other action might we take, as a community? Do any of you have contacts in the organisation?
-- Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing http://pigsonthewing.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
-- faewik@gmail.com http://j.mp/faewm Personal and confidential, please do not circulate or re-quote.
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 14 January 2014 20:53, Sarah Noble sarah@sarahlicity.co.uk wrote: ...
What's the reason for blocking Grindr anyway, Fae? And would they also block, say, okcupid?
For all I know they might block any adult-ish dating-type site, I can only speak from the gay perspective. Considering that Grindr is actually quite good at taking down any image of a potentially NSFW nature, including naughty words, it's actually less risky than browsing Commons. :-D
Fae
If their concern is bandwidth then I think I can understand a free WiFi provider blocking "Photo Sharing, Visual Search Engines". I would hope that anyone batch uploading their days photos to Commons would be considerate of such Free Wifi, but to be honest doubt I would be. As for the issue of photos on your laptop in a public space such as a train, I've often sat on a train cropping, naming and reviewing photographs before uploading them later, people do sometimes look and occasionally comment. But I figure nobody will be offended at photographs of steam trains and Georgian antiquities.
Love the idea of steam powered routers though.
Jonathan Cardy GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums) Organiser/Trefnydd GLAM (Galeriau, Llyfrgelloedd, Archifdai a llawer Mwy!) Wikimedia UK 0207 065 0990
Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).
Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.
Press Enter to send your message.
On 14 January 2014 21:34, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
On 14 January 2014 20:53, Sarah Noble sarah@sarahlicity.co.uk wrote: ...
What's the reason for blocking Grindr anyway, Fae? And would they also block, say, okcupid?
For all I know they might block any adult-ish dating-type site, I can only speak from the gay perspective. Considering that Grindr is actually quite good at taking down any image of a potentially NSFW nature, including naughty words, it's actually less risky than browsing Commons. :-D
Fae
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 15 January 2014 20:13, Jonathan Cardy jonathan.cardy@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
If their concern is bandwidth then I think I can understand a free WiFi provider blocking "Photo Sharing, Visual Search Engines".
They already throttle speed after 10Mb; but they don't seem to block Flickr, YouTube or iPlayer.
FYI, it's the same on First Hull Trains.
Interestingly, CrossCountry don't block Commons, and they're owned by the same company as Chiltern (unless that's changed recently?).
As Fae says, East Midlands Trains (when the WiFi works!) don't block Commons, and East Coast likewise. I've not been on First Great western for years so I don't know about them; I'm not sure any other train companies have WiFi (Northern Rail and First Transpenine Express certainly don't). Harry Mitchell
Phone: 024 7698 0977 Skype: harry_j_mitchell
On Wednesday, 15 January 2014, 0:49, Sarah Noble sarah@sarahlicity.co.uk wrote:
There may be some "for bandwidth reasons" excuse that Chiltern use to block Commons; that's why East Coast block imgur (and YouTube) after all. If you can get their wifi to work.
What's the reason for blocking Grindr anyway, Fae? And would they also block, say, okcupid?
On 14 January 2014 20:47, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Normally the blocking page gives you a link to write to as this is
often contracted out. I believe most of these filtering services try to respond to reasonable unblocking requests.
East Midland trains are fine for Wikimedia projects but block Wikipediocracy (hurrah). I'll not be bothering to write to them about unblocking Wikipediocracy and though they also block Grindr, I think most lads use their mobile data for socializing.
On 14 January 2014 20:26, Andy Mabbett andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons, as:
This site was categorized in: Photo Sharing, File Storage, Software/Technology, Research/ Reference, Non-Profits, Visual Search Engines
Wikipedia, including its commons-hosted images, is not blocked. I have reached out to them more than once on Twitter to ask for an unblock, or who to speak to about requesting one, but they have never replied.
Apart from e-mailing them ,which I shall do shortly, what other action might we take, as a community? Do any of you have contacts in the organisation?
-- Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing http://pigsonthewing.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
-- faewik@gmail.com http://j.mp/faewm Personal and confidential, please do not circulate or re-quote.
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
_______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
FGW might get WiFi by the end of the year. It probably took time to get steam powered routers. On 15 Jan 2014 15:40, "HJ Mitchell" hjmitchell@ymail.com wrote:
FYI, it's the same on First Hull Trains.
Interestingly, CrossCountry don't block Commons, and they're owned by the same company as Chiltern (unless that's changed recently?).
As Fae says, East Midlands Trains (when the WiFi works!) don't block Commons, and East Coast likewise. I've not been on First Great western for years so I don't know about them; I'm not sure any other train companies have WiFi (Northern Rail and First Transpenine Express certainly don't).
Harry Mitchell http://enwp.org/User:HJ Phone: 024 7698 0977 Skype: harry_j_mitchell
On Wednesday, 15 January 2014, 0:49, Sarah Noble < sarah@sarahlicity.co.uk> wrote: There may be some "for bandwidth reasons" excuse that Chiltern use to block Commons; that's why East Coast block imgur (and YouTube) after all. If you can get their wifi to work.
What's the reason for blocking Grindr anyway, Fae? And would they also block, say, okcupid?
On 14 January 2014 20:47, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
Normally the blocking page gives you a link to write to as this is often contracted out. I believe most of these filtering services try to respond to reasonable unblocking requests.
East Midland trains are fine for Wikimedia projects but block Wikipediocracy (hurrah). I'll not be bothering to write to them about unblocking Wikipediocracy and though they also block Grindr, I think most lads use their mobile data for socializing.
On 14 January 2014 20:26, Andy Mabbett andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons, as:
This site was categorized in: Photo Sharing, File Storage, Software/Technology, Research/ Reference, Non-Profits, Visual Search Engines
Wikipedia, including its commons-hosted images, is not blocked. I have reached out to them more than once on Twitter to ask for an unblock, or who to speak to about requesting one, but they have never replied.
Apart from e-mailing them ,which I shall do shortly, what other action might we take, as a community? Do any of you have contacts in the organisation?
-- Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing http://pigsonthewing.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
-- faewik@gmail.com http://j.mp/faewm Personal and confidential, please do not circulate or re-quote.
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On Jan 14, 2014 8:26 PM, "Andy Mabbett" andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons
They have finally replied, and are going to remove the block.
Great work Andy!
Richard Symonds Wikimedia UK 0207 065 0992
Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).
*Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*
On 16 January 2014 10:57, Andy Mabbett pigsotwing@gmail.com wrote:
On Jan 14, 2014 8:26 PM, "Andy Mabbett" andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons
They have finally replied, and are going to remove the block.
-- Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing http://pigsonthewing.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
Hurrah - should we have a special outing to do downloads - pub lunch in Wendover?
On 16 January 2014 10:57, Andy Mabbett pigsotwing@gmail.com wrote:
On Jan 14, 2014 8:26 PM, "Andy Mabbett" andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons
They have finally replied, and are going to remove the block.
-- Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing http://pigsonthewing.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 16 January 2014 10:57, Andy Mabbett pigsotwing@gmail.com wrote:
On Jan 14, 2014 8:26 PM, "Andy Mabbett" andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons
They have finally replied, and are going to remove the block.
Less than three hours later they have posted a followup:
I'm afraid someone has had a look at this site from the team and has found adult content so we're now not able to unblock. E
"E" is the staff member's initial. The comment is at
https://mobile.twitter.com/chilternrailway/status/423802649482653696
should folk wish to respond individually. What can WMUK do?
Hi Andy,
I think from the WMUK side the first question I would ask would be: Do they block all other "adult" content?
Thanks,
Stevie
On 16 January 2014 13:53, Andy Mabbett pigsotwing@gmail.com wrote:
On 16 January 2014 10:57, Andy Mabbett pigsotwing@gmail.com wrote:
On Jan 14, 2014 8:26 PM, "Andy Mabbett" andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk
wrote:
For some time, Chiltern Trains free Wi-Fi has been blocking Wikimedia Commons
They have finally replied, and are going to remove the block.
Less than three hours later they have posted a followup:
I'm afraid someone has had a look at this site from the team and has found adult content so we're now not able to unblock. E
"E" is the staff member's initial. The comment is at
https://mobile.twitter.com/chilternrailway/status/423802649482653696
should folk wish to respond individually. What can WMUK do?
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 16 January 2014 14:02, Stevie Benton stevie.benton@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
I think from the WMUK side the first question I would ask would be: Do they block all other "adult" content?
Oddly, I've never tested that ;-)
But they do not block other /sites/ that may include a small proportion of such content (Wikipedia for one; Google; Flickr IIRC)
Can you access filtered Commons images through Wikipedia? ie., by going to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:X.jpg, rather than commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:X.jpg?
If so, it seems pretty ineffectual...
Richard Symonds Wikimedia UK 0207 065 0992
Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT. United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).
*Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*
On 16 January 2014 14:33, Andy Mabbett andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
On 16 January 2014 14:02, Stevie Benton stevie.benton@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
I think from the WMUK side the first question I would ask would be: Do
they
block all other "adult" content?
Oddly, I've never tested that ;-)
But they do not block other /sites/ that may include a small proportion of such content (Wikipedia for one; Google; Flickr IIRC)
-- Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing http://pigsonthewing.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 16 January 2014 14:40, Richard Symonds richard.symonds@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Can you access filtered Commons images through Wikipedia? ie., by going to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:X.jpg, rather than commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:X.jpg?
I'll try that on Saturday, if I'm not overlooked. If I get thrown of the train at Banbury, it'll be your fault...
On 16 January 2014 14:40, Richard Symonds richard.symonds@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Can you access filtered Commons images through Wikipedia? ie., by going to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:X.jpg, rather than commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:X.jpg?
Yes; and as inline images on Wikipedia pages. (I'm on a Chiltern train as I type).
I can also see the commons-hosted image on:
http://pigsonthewing.org.uk/uk-government-road-gritting-open-data/
whose URL is:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/Highways_Agency_199...
They block iPlayer, Flickr and YouTube completely (their bandwidth restriction would make iPlayer and probably YouTube unusable, anyway).
I can see explicit adult images via Twitter, which are hosted on the domain pbs.twimg.com
I'm not suggesting, though, that Chiltern Railways should revise their policy to allow "adult" content; just that they should be more careful in applying filters, so as not to throw the educational baby out with the porn bathwater.
A point worth making is that Wikimedia projects include adult educational topics from pregnancy to sexual diseases. We systematically and routinely remove adult images that are not part of our educational mission or may be unlawful. We provide a simple user complaints process and prompt deletion process for non educational images.
"Oddly, I've never tested that ;-)"
Hehe :-)
"But they do not block other /sites/ that may include a small proportion of such content (Wikipedia for one; Google; Flickr IIRC)"
In that case it may well be that the problem resides in the way that images are provided on Commons. For example, several times I've been searching on Commons for useful images to illustrate blogs and booklets and been presented with images that were... unexpected, to say the least.
On 16 January 2014 14:33, Andy Mabbett andy@pigsonthewing.org.uk wrote:
On 16 January 2014 14:02, Stevie Benton stevie.benton@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
I think from the WMUK side the first question I would ask would be: Do
they
block all other "adult" content?
Oddly, I've never tested that ;-)
But they do not block other /sites/ that may include a small proportion of such content (Wikipedia for one; Google; Flickr IIRC)
-- Andy Mabbett @pigsonthewing http://pigsonthewing.org.uk
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 16 January 2014 13:53, Andy Mabbett pigsotwing@gmail.com wrote: ...
should folk wish to respond individually. What can WMUK do?
Speaking as one of our more active Commonists; I think WMUK should avoid getting it's virtual charitable fingers burnt in the same way as the WMF is careful to do. We don't really want the charity getting misrepresented as being responsible for, or lobbying for, any particular position on sexual content policies that are entirely down to Wikimedia project communities which themselves vary enormously.
If Chiltern Trains' policy is to block "adult content" then that does indeed include Commons, it also includes Wikipedia, Flickr, etc., along with almost all networking websites including Facebook, where you are at risk of viewing "adult content". Perhaps individual responses should recommend filters with more specific image blocks rather than entire site blocks, if Chiltern Trains are interested in making their wifi access more useful than checking train updates?
My opinion on a train provider of wifi is quite different from, say, a public library. Their stated missions are quite different with regard to virtual access to knowledge and news. :-)
Fae
wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org