Research: Blocking Technology Analysis

This page presents surveys, testing, and other resources related to Internet blocking technology products.

Blocked Search Engines and Web Directories List

A list of search engines and web directories that provide blocking options, Online Policy Group, October 6, 2000

The Online Policy Group also tracks legislative and policymaking efforts related to blocking technology and Internet access, as well as cataloging a wide variety of blocking technology and other Internet technology problems and bloopers in the Online Oddities and Atrocities Museum.

Check out the media coverage on Internet blocking companies and products, as well as the links to organizations and related publications below.

Media Coverage

	Porn Filters Found to Be Ineffective Tools
	The Borough Assembly will soon vote on whether to force the public library to install expensive, ineffective Internet censorship filters on all its public and staff computers, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (September 6, 2003)

	Internet Filters Block Valuable Data, Too
	A 17-year-old girl thinking about having sex for the first time logs onto her school's computer for the latest facts about sexually transmitted diseases, USA Today (August 12, 2003)

	Report: ISPs Block 17 Percent of Legit E-mail
	Top Internet service providers blocked 17 percent of legitimate permission-based e-mail in the first half of the year, according to a report issued by Return Path, InternetNews.com (August 12, 2003)

	Ministry to Filter Sites to Mobiles
	The Japanese telecommunications ministry plans to develop a system for rating and filtering Web sites accessed by cellphones to prevent minors from viewing sex-related and other inappropriate content, ministry sources said, Asahi Shimbun (July 30, 2003)

	Secure Computing To Buy N2H2
	Network security products maker Secure Computing Inc. said Tuesday it is acquiring content-filtering vendor N2H2 for $20 million, furthering consolidation in an already-competitive market, Information Week (July 29, 2003)

Recent Coverage

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Organizations and Related Publications

	UK Cannabis Internet Activists Website Blocked
	During the week of 11th November it was drawn to our attention that UKCIA was blocked from computers in libraries run by Essex County Council, UK Cannabis Internet Activists (November 18, 2003)

	New First Report: Net Filters in Libraries
	Internet Filters and Public Libraries by David L. Sobel (OPG Advisory Board member) is a new First Report now available from the First Amendment Center, First Amendment Center (November 12, 2003)

Designing a Protocol to Circumvent Internet Censorship Several companies and volunteer groups have been working for years on systems to circumvent Internet blocking at the network level, with a focus on defeating Internet censorship in China, where the “Great Firewall of China” blocks users from viewing external Web sites that criticize the Chinese government, Peacefire (August 24, 2003)

Children’s Internet Protection Act Study of Technology Protection Measures On August 15, 2003, NTIA released a report pursuant to section 1703 of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), Pub.L.No. 106-554, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A-336 (2000), evaluating the effectiveness of technology protection measures and safety policies used by educational institutions, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (August 15, 2003)

	Hacking for Free Speech
	Wholesale Internet censorship now faces a serious challenge with hacker groups such as Hacktivismo are determined to poke holes in firewalls used for repression, FindLaw's Writ (June 24, 2003)

Recent Publications

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