I’ve never suffered the degradation of working in an organization that acted as my Net Mommy– one that told me I was not old enough or mature enough to monitor my own internet activity.
I pity my colleagues in Australia where, as one emailed me tonight, some arbitrary machine of divine intelligence has decided that the organization I work for, the New Media Consortium is on the nasty list for the crime of … “Arts/Entertainment”:
Yep, the NMC, which is a not-for profit educational organization that focuses on emerging technologies, that worked with Australia to provide its own Horizon Report, would be seen in some reppressive workplaces as worth banning… based on WTF?
This strategy is one for which our court systems usually assume innocence until proven guilty, yet in the “Lock ’em down tight” world of Firewalls, you are guilty until proven innocent. The assignment of “guilt” is not made known or explained, but one has to call some phone number, and plead for innocence?
This is stark raving stupidity, and again, I am baffled by a system that can deny me access to information based on arbitrary means. Not much has changed down under since I two years ago whinged on Net Bans, News by Inneundo, Mommies.
Blocking = Stupid (and is retrograde to innovation).
Ironic Update: The person who shared this, when given the link to CogDogBlog, returned another “ACCESS DENIED” screen shot– the CogDogBlog falls under that nefarious category of “Blog/Personal”– so if you take the entire web space- remove everything that is “Arts/Enternainment” and “Blog/Personal” what does that leave? Riddle me this…
Luckily things have moved on since – http://www.flickr.com/photos/nswlearnscope/1838503639/
Robyn Jay and the testament of many others have ensured that the critical sites have remained open for educators and that a business case including your NMC report keeps the others not far from reach.
It’s important Alan to realize that in Australia, unlike many other countries, social networking and other related technologies do not yet register in a land of Cognos, Primavera, Peoplesoft and Infra 🙂
…and another paradox .
Here’s what is in my inbox tonight…
“Hi, Edu POV.
Dept of Education (SchoolLife) is now following your updates on Twitter. ”
Seems Twitter has made it into embedded platforms or some other privileged echelon. Meanwhile everything over here is turning Orange – http://www.flickr.com/photos/mobology/sets/72157617987051406/
I’d also recommend you read something from our next e-Himerius – http://blog.futurestreetconsulting.com/?p=151
I see that the identity of the offending institution has been blurred out. Too bad. I wanted to know.
@Stephen Downes: that was by request of my friend. Buy me a beer at ED-media and I may divulge
Sucks that’s the world the majority of our K12 students and teachers live in daily.
On a positive note, their block page has less exclamation points than ours does.
Ah, I feel your pain.
I’ve had it reported that sections of our website – including our professional development training site! – have come up blocked at K12 educational institutions in my own state.
We’re a non-profit literacy org that receives funding from the state department of education! And our services get blocked by schools? WTF?