Why Simple Blocked Word Filters Fail
from the so-many-false-positives dept
It's surprising that the big web companies still make use of simple keyword blocking filters for things they want to block out. A few years ago we noted that Google's SafeSearch feature was fairly weak because it banned things like ArkansasExtermination.com (see why?). Now, according to Threadwatch, at least part of Yahoo is doing the same, preventing someone named Callahan from registering their name as an ID, because it contains the word "allah." Now, obviously, this is a quick and dirty method for filtering -- but it seems fairly arbitrary. Shouldn't there at least be a procedure to request a review of a banned name that the user believes is perfectly legitimate? Update: Apparently Yahoo is paying attention to the buzz, having updated the policy to allow names that use "allah." Of course, that isn't really the point -- which had more to do with such keyword filtering, not that particular block.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Why should there be?
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Keep those fat americand dumb!
and what the fuck is up with newspapers.. that shit is a day old.. how can it be NEWs.. They should rename it to Yesterday paper or Olds Paper..
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Re: Keep those fat americand dumb!
He claims to be "smart" while at the same time misspelling "american" and writing tired, repeated, irrational and vaguely paranoid conspiracy theories.
How does blocking names like Callahan and my personal favorite Penis van Lesbian keep any "americand" dumb? Also, those Mohammed cartoons were pretty unfiltered...Finally, both Reupblicans and Democrats have been complaining about lefist or rightist news sources without rest, and therefore, the opinions are at least two-sided.
Thanks, and sorry for seeming so conceitedly pretentious, but I am mearly human, and therefore subject to my emotions.
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Re: Keep those fat american dumb!
Hey Fucknut, I think you and America foregot the meaning of a theory, so here it is,
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena; "theories can incorporate facts and laws and tested hypotheses"; "true in fact and theory"
(((HERE IS WHAT YOU MENT TO SAY))
hypothesis: a tentative theory about the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena; "a scientific hypothesis that survives experimental testing becomes a scientific theory"; "he proposed a fresh theory of alkalis that later was accepted in chemical practices"
So, all you dumb ass redneck americans especially Republicans, Fox News and CNN including BUSH, now you have been eduMcated on what a THEORY is.
SO if you think a theory is baseless or "bad", it means that you dont even know your ass from your mouth.
>>Whatever Said:
Please notice the striking irony of that previous poster's name: Super Duper Fucking Smart.
He claims to be "smart" while at the same time misspelling "american" and writing tired, repeated, irrational and vaguely paranoid conspiracy theories.
How does blocking names like Callahan and my personal favorite Penis van Lesbian keep any "americand" dumb? Also, those Mohammed cartoons were pretty unfiltered...Finally, both Reupblicans and Democrats have been complaining about lefist or rightist news sources without rest, and therefore, the opinions are at least two-sided.
Thanks, and sorry for seeming so conceitedly pretentious, but I am mearly human, and therefore subject to my emotions
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Re: Keep those fat american dumb!
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It was worse in Scunthorpe
There is a story here in the UK that when Scunthorpe Council brought in anti spam software they stopped receiving any emails at all...
Jerry
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Re: Keep those fat american dumb!
Thanks so much for looking up the word "theory" in a dictionary and typing that definition for us! As stupid Americans, we couldn't have handled that task ourselves.
Now, how about stating a theory? ...maybe thats a little too complex...take your time. We'll talk to you in a few years.
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Re: Keep those fat american dumb!
I believe that I am as little an American redneck Republican as possible.
Thanks for assuming something not only completely wrong but also entirely unfounded.
On another note, thank you, oh so dearly, for "eduMacating" me on what a theory is. It's funny that you spent so many words trying to find fault with one of my possibly misused words while at the same time, ironically, further proving my original point that you are shallow, uneducated, unoriginal and very quick to assign incorrect overly-general roles to people and then spew out old and repeatedly disproven "HYPOTHESES" about how "the man" is keeping Americans dumb.
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Re: Keep those fat americand dumb!
GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST!!! A TYPE-O BEEN FOUND.
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Re: !Keep those fat americans dumb
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Somehow that seemed particularly twisted.
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Specialist
The problem was he/she worked in the technical field and tended to get a lot of emails with the word, speCIALISt, which of course would get bounced for no good reason.
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RETADS
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stupid and retarded
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I am glad they block alah
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access denied
It really bugs me that the kids can get to myspace and I can't even check my e-mail. They are so much smarter than me about computers!
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?
it looks like an amateur teenagerwrote this it looks pretty dumb to me.
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My Name
It's all i have to live for!
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Re: My Name
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