TalkTalk and adult content

Horlock

Does anyone know what sort of policy talktalk have with regard to adult content?

This may sound silly, but I use talktalk, and yesturday I suddenly was surprised to get the message

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The request you made appears to be of an Adult nature.

Talk Talk do not support Adult content, so please either
re-type your request, or make another request altogether.

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I'm not the type to be browsing for !!!!!! (though doubtless below there will be those who suggest otherwise) - so in practice - this doesn't really affect me. I was just rather surprised by the message.

Although this doesn't really effect me what I want to know is

• Do talktalk or any provider have a right to block access to any websites
• Why?

Now I can understand the government not wanting people to have access to

• Discriptions of how to make home made bombs
• Illegal images of various kinds
• NeoNazi websites

etc

However, I was under the impression that as a citizen of the UK you were entitled to free speech etc - albeit with consequences if your actions were in violation of any statue.

I am just curious as to whether this is common practice with ISP's, and is legal.

I would have expected the trail that one leaves on the web to be hidden (except to agencies such as police and intelligence agencies - and even then within certain limits). Am I just being naive, and paranoid. Though as a good friend once advised me "Just because you're paranoid - doesn't mean that they aren't out to get you".

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If talktalk offered an opt in clause for protection for children etc then in practice I would actually opt in. However, I'm not sure that I agree with an ISP choosing what you are entitled to view. Who is it that makes the judgement as to the suitability of a website!

Poundcounter

My talktalk connection appears to have no such scruples (purely "research" of course, in case you're wondering how I know). Perhaps it all depends what search engine you use? Would you care to give more detail of your "request"?

Patr100

I don't use talk talk but is it their own search engine you used? Can you still browse to an "adult" site?
If there was any filtering of sites particularly legal adult sites it would need to be in their acceptable use policy.

arealhighlander

I think you'll find you were using Talk Talks search engine in some way and it was their search engine that blocked it as opposed to blocking access to specific sites.

Overall, I think you will find that ISPs can block access to any area of the Internet that they want or that may lead to them being charged with aiding and abetting.