Leaked Letter Shows UK ISPs and Government At War Over Default Filters

An anonymous reader writes, quoting the BBC: "A letter sent to the UK's four leading ISPs from the government has made them very cross indeed. The letter comes from the Department for Education but it sets out a list of demands from Downing Street, with the stated aim of allowing the prime minister to make an announcement shortly. The companies are asked, among other things, for a commitment to fund an 'awareness campaign' for parents. They're not particularly happy about promising cash for what the letter concedes is an 'unknown campaign' but it's the next item on the menu which is the source of most of their anger." That next item is making and marketing Internet censorship filters as "default-on" rather than "active choice": "'It sounds like a good idea until you think it through,' said one industry source. 'There are three reasons why it doesn't work. First it may be illegal under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers. Then there's the fact that no filter is perfect, and finally kids are smart enough to find their way around them.'" From the sound of it, it might just be newspeak vs newspeak. The entire letter is included in the article.

The tone of the letter is interesting...

[Bearhouse]

In fact, it's quite an interesting read, and an insight into 'modern' politico thinking...

Behind the politeness...
"ask for some specific"
" I would be grateful if you could consider this request as a matter of urgency

They're actually 'asking' (i.e. trying to direct) the ISPs specific actions...

"Will the other three ISPs consider making a commitment to adopting this approach [experimental browser intercept] - even before it has been trialled"

Who in their right mind would commit to that? What if it totally bombs; they're still going to implement it?

"The prime minister expects customers to be required to prove their age/identity before any changes to the filters are made"

Why? Is he an internet security expert now?

"The prime minister would like to be able to announce a collective financial commitment from industry to fund this campaign."

Yeah, I bet he would. "Look voters, I screwed some of your cash out of your ISPs in the name of the children!"

"The prime minister believes that there is much more that we can all do to improve how we communicate the current position on parental internet controls and that there is a need for a simplified message to reassure parents and the public more generally. Without changing what you will be offering (ie active-choice +), the prime minister would like to be able to refer to your solutions are "default-on" as people will have to make a choice not to have the filters (by unticking the box). "

Pure spin. The whole thing reeks of micromanagement and backroom arm-twisting.
Plus of course, if the entire thing goes wrong, the Gov gets to blame the ISPs!

Quelle Surprise

[Oxygen99]

Of course they're at war. This is one of the most incompetent and scientifically illiterate governments in living memory. It's packed full of lunatic ideologues like Ian Duncan Smith and Teresa May who sideline professional academic advice time and time again in favour of their own prejudices [guardian.co.uk] stupidity [independent.co.uk] and ignorance [britisheco...ociety.org]. I just wish their misguided [guardian.co.uk], harmful [bmj.com] and plain unworkable [huffingtonpost.co.uk] policies wouldn't wreck this countries social and political fabric for generations to come. It would be funny if the human cost wasn't so high

And you know what? In spite of this, the main opposition is still unable to differentiate itself as a better alternative than this shower of charlatans [newstatesman.com], bigots [newstatesman.com] and liars [channel4.com].

I despair at this country. I really do.