Request to remove profanity/adult content filters

[Baechle]

Sir/Ma'am;

I am formally requesting a removal of the Profanity/Adult content filters for the Community.

Discussion: Working with [Administrative|Technical] policies that detect and restrict the transmission or storage of various content is a professional function.  As such, language describing such content should be permitted as content in this forum.  Using analogues for these same words only cosmetically reduces the level of vulgarity or obscenity in a post.  Such that an entire post can be written using analogues yet convey a vulgar, obscene, or profane overall message.

Other Views:  Portions of this site are externally indexed and searchable leading to the possibility that vulgar or obscene terms are indexed and inappropriately categorize the content of this site; therefore content filters are necessary.

Alternative Options:

(1) No longer permit external indexing of the Community posts.

(2) Remove content filters for private sections of the Community (e.g. the CISSP-only forum).

(3) Add selective content filtering (so that the viewer determines if content is filtered) with positive enforcement of content filtering for indexing services.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Eric B.

cc:  @CraginS @rslade @Flyslinger2 @TimG, @denbesten

[rslade]

Testing the filter:

pr0n OK

throbbing OK

breast OK

bum OK

bastards OK
 

Somebody this morning already determined that "poo" was OK ...

damned OK (so that was a waste of self-censorship ...)

(Interestingly, damned is OK, but the base word is not ...)

[Flyslinger2]

To interject a little humor into the testing that is being conducted:

A while back we had to begin homeschooling our children because one of ours turned out to be a genius after testing was completed.  One of the indicators was his poor handwriting skills-his brain fired much faster then what his muscles could get onto paper.  We went the route of CBT training.  There is only typing and the curriculum was modular so it could be tailored to each child's interests, strengths and weaknesses.  It turned out to be a truly great way to go!

So we had 4 workstations, one for each child.  Not wanting them to accidentally fall into some horrible website I applied all the tools possible to secure their environment.  But how to ensure that my efforts worked? I called in the tester, Mrs. Fly.  I told her to open a browser and go to a p0rn site that she was aware of to see if it was blocked. She used pl@yb0y and it was blocked. At first she was a little curious as to why I was thinking about that site but when she saw the results and knew that our 3 sons wouldn't see that trash she was a happy mama bear.  She also learned that I applied the same rules to my environment as the boys so I was leading by example.

Sadly this stuff exists.  It makes people of integrity, which this is probably the highest group other then my friends at church, take extra precautions to confirm that tools, policies, procedures are working.  Sometimes we have to delegate the testing of the solutions to others for various reasons.  Keeping on the good side with your spousal unit is just one example!

Test on!  

[SamanthaO_isc2]

Hello,

Thank you for posting about this. I truly appreciate you bringing your thoughts to us on this topic. After consideration by the team, we have decided that we are going to keep the content filters in place at this time. We do this for the protection of this site, the Community members, and all visitors. These filters have stopped numerous posts from getting through the Community where the intent was to spam the Community and use the Community as a platform to promote things that we would not want to subject any of our members or visitors to. I understand that some of the topics that get filtered out are things that come up in your workplace or everyday lives; however, at this time we believe that the good that these content filters are doing is outweighing the need to be able to mention these words on the Community. I encourage you all to continue to leave comments either in support or against the content filters and our team will review them.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any further feedback or suggestions to the Community.

[Baechle]

Samantha,

I understand, and completely appreciate the team's consideration.

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@SamanthaO_isc2 wrote:

After consideration by the team, we have decided that we are going to keep the content filters in place at this time. We do this for the protection of this site, the Community members, and all visitors. These filters have stopped numerous posts from getting through the Community where the intent was to spam the Community and use the Community as a platform to promote things that we would not want to subject any of our members or visitors to.  

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This type of risk analysis and decision making is relevant to the Community.  First, it directly impacts the Community and its patrons as user-stakeholders.  Second, it directly addresses a decision making process that is relevant to the Common Body of Knowledge concerning risk mitigation and control implementation that would benefit the Community to observe.

With that understanding, could you please share the relevant factors that went into the decision making (if they were something other than, "the general public may find that content offensive")?

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Eric B.

[rslade]

Thanks to @CraginS's sharp eyes, we now also know that "dildo" is OK by the filter.  I never even realized that when I wrote it.

Come on, people.  The filter is silly and useless.

[rslade]

I was discussing this issue with Gloria, and she, very reasonably, asked, "Why don't you just ask them to list the words that aren't allowed, so you'l know not to use them?"

"They can't," I said.  "The system won't let them."