# The Oddest Things Blocked By My Office Internet Filter **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204 "2012-12-06T17:29:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/1 "2012-12-06T17:29:13Z")
[ol] [li]An article on WWII and the Holocaust. Reason: “hate”.[/li][li]Web pages relating to the M48 Apocalypse Tactical Tomahawk. Reason: “weapons”.[/li][li]Century Martial Arts, a site that sells karate uniforms and gear. Reason: “weapons/martial arts”.[/li][li][Bloody-disgusting.com](http://Bloody-disgusting.com), a site with horror movie news and reviews. Reason: “gore”.[/li][li]The SDMB thread on “what’s the difference between Democrats and Republicans?” Reason: “hate”.[/li][li]Cabela’s. Reason: “guns”.[/li][li]My favorite so far: YouTube video of the 1985 Andy Williams Christmas Special. Reason: “hate”. I shit you not.[/li][/ol] Feel free to come up with some of your own, or links to web pages that I can try and see if they get blocked. Understand, though, that there’s a very real possibility that, depending on what gets posted here, I may be blocked from _this very thread_ and thus have to reply from home; I’ve had SDMB threads blocked before for various reasons. Hell, I can’t even look at many gun-related threads without running afoul of the “guns” filter (seriously, we’re a _prosecution office_. We just might have to look up stuff relating to weapons from time to time!). Anyway, what’cha got? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/2 "2012-12-06T17:32:24Z")
I can’t access Giant In the Playground from work. Not because of content, but because the URL contains the sequence (…tit…). :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/3 "2012-12-06T17:36:34Z")
I was once trying to find some model train kits to build and our filter blocked me from accessing one of the kit manufacturers’ websites, “Sunshine Models,” for being R-rated. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/4 "2012-12-06T17:37:08Z")
I cant access a site about the Ottawa Senators hockey team. > **[Ottawa Citizen](https://ottawacitizen.com/category/sports/hockey/nhl/senators-extra/)** > > Latest updates on Schedules, Scores, Roster, Standings, Stats & News. Find information on latest and upcoming events. I have no idea why? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/5 "2012-12-06T17:58:53Z")
Not an office internet filter, but somewhat related: My wife was trying to register on a website a few years ago, but she was being automatically turned down. The reason being given was something like “inappropriate username.” Stumped us for a bit, until I realized that her (Japanese) last name had “shit” in it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/6 "2012-12-06T18:02:46Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I cant access a site about the Ottawa Senators hockey team. > > [www.senatorsextra.com/](http://www.senatorsextra.com/) > I have no idea why? 😉 Because theyblowdeadbears. That’s why. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/7 "2012-12-06T18:04:07Z")
I could not access the CPR videos on a website. Our department director referred us to that site for training purposes. Reason was a general block on streaming videos. Our office provides for membership in a professional association for the 9-1-1 emergency services industry. Training articles from that association’s newsletter are routinely blocked for violence or gun related issues. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/8 "2012-12-06T18:08:30Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Not an office internet filter, but somewhat related: > > My wife was trying to register on a website a few years ago, but she was being automatically turned down. The reason being given was something like “inappropriate username.” Stumped us for a bit, until I realized that her (Japanese) last name had “shit” in it. Did she have to change it to Matsupoopa? ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/9 "2012-12-06T18:56:24Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Not an office internet filter, but somewhat related: > > My wife was trying to register on a website a few years ago, but she was being automatically turned down. The reason being given was something like “inappropriate username.” Stumped us for a bit, until I realized that her (Japanese) last name had “shit” in it. The people of [Scunthorpe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scunthorpe_problem)regularly have problems with people not being able to access their local sites, or search for info on the town. Something to do with a banned word, apparently 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/10 "2012-12-06T19:42:11Z")
My department at work occasionally gets requests to unblock stuff that shouldn’t have been blocked. My favorite so far is the request to unblock [http://w](http://w) [ww.hotlicksexhaust.com/](http://ww.hotlicksexhaust.com/) It’s a website devoted to really cool vehicle exhaust systems, I promise! 😃 (Yup, we unblocked it. But then, my coworkers also thought it was okay to unblock [thesun.co.uk](http://thesun.co.uk), because obviously the ‘nudity’ tag couldn’t be right… Do a google search for page three girls if you don’t get it. Actually, don’t. Especially if you’re at work.) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/11 "2012-12-06T19:58:03Z")
hotlicksexhaust sounds dirtier than a lot of porn sites. Would you rather go to pornhub or hotlicksexhaust? ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/12 "2012-12-06T19:59:02Z")
I had to buy a scale online once, and had trouble because the company also sold _firearms_. It took an act of Congress to allow me to see the website. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/13 "2012-12-06T20:39:45Z")
I couldn’t look at a recipe for cock a leekie soup. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/14 "2012-12-06T20:50:37Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > The people of [Scunthorpe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scunthorpe_problem)regularly have problems with people not being able to access their local sites, or search for info on the town. Something to do with a banned word, apparently 😉 Wow, thanks for that. All I have to say is holy shitakke mushrooms! ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/15 "2012-12-06T21:02:26Z")
We don’t use a filter, but some of our users do. One reported recently being unable to reach one of our web sites. I checked how it was categorized with their filtering software: “content server”. I think their IT staff must have set their filter to block any URL that had any category at all. Even the boring and appropriate for work ones. Are offices really using filters that catch simple strings in domain names, in 2012? The commercial content filters I’m aware of don’t work that way (they’re certainly prone to errors, but they look at the content, not just the url). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/16 "2012-12-06T21:09:27Z")
At one point my work system was blocking any Wikipedia page that prominently featured the word “pink,” such as the color or the singer. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/17 "2012-12-06T21:19:53Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > We don’t use a filter, but some of our users do. One reported recently being unable to reach one of our web sites. I checked how it was categorized with their filtering software: “content server”. > > I think their IT staff must have set their filter to block any URL that had any category at all. Even the boring and appropriate for work ones. > > Are offices really using filters that catch simple strings in domain names, in 2012? The commercial content filters I’m aware of don’t work that way (they’re certainly prone to errors, but they look at the content, not just the url). I know my filter looks at both URL and content. (And category.) ---
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/18 "2012-12-06T23:14:25Z")
Website of the Annals of Internal Medicine. Reason: “Sex”. (And yes, I spelled “Annals” correctly.) ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/19 "2012-12-07T00:27:39Z")
You could try to read the Wiki page on the mathematician Jacques Tits: [Jacques Tits - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Tits). There is an Indian mathematician named Dickshit, you might try googling him. See if you find out anything about annihilators. It is a technical concept. A friend got reported to airport security because he was discussing annihilators with another mathematician. Then there is the Killing form (named for the eponymous mathematician who created it). ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204/20 "2012-12-07T02:22:59Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > The people of [Scunthorpe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scunthorpe_problem)regularly have problems with people not being able to access their local sites, or search for info on the town. Something to do with a banned word, apparently 😉 Not that far from Penistone as it happens. And I believe the [Horniman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horniman_Museum) Museum has had it’s troubles. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-oddest-things-blocked-by-my-office-internet-filter/643204.md?page=2)