[Foundation-l] Possible solution for image filter

[David Gerard]

On 24 September 2011 23:00, Phil Nash <phnash at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

> The IWF just did not understand how access to Wikipedia works; a strange
> situation, given their mission. And it wasn't helped by their publicity at
> the time, IIRC. Fortunately, they seem to have shut up since then, and
> possibly got their act together in targetting stuff that really does need
> action by law enforcement. However, if that is the case, I would have
> expected them to have shouted it from the rooftops, but I haven't seen it.


The IWF situation is analogous to the present one. The government of
the day called for "something to be done!" (the requirement spec for
magical flying unicorn ponies), and the ISPs nodded and smiled and set
up something called the IWF that pretended to supply magical flying
unicorn ponies. And everyone was happy.

That is, the IWF is the sort of organisation that can exist only as
long as it doesn't affect people's lives, e.g. doesn't hit the
headlines.

What happened then was that the IWF had a rush of blood to the head,
misunderstood their purpose (to pretend to do something impossible)
and thought they needed to actually do something to implement the
magical flying unicorn ponies requirement. So they blocked Wikipedia.
And everyone noticed. And now they are well-known and are widely
regarded as dangerous cretins. A cautionary tale for those hoping to
implement filters.


- d.