Overzealous blocking filters cutting off charity and social support websites from most in need

Hundreds of charities, schools and social support services are being cut off from their intended recipients by indiscriminate Government-backed blocking filters

Crude and opaque filtering systems designed to protect children from harmful content are preventing in-need adults from accessing websites with essential services

More than 1,300 blocks have been reversed in the last two years – likely only a tiny fraction of incorrectly blocked sites – with small businesses caught in the crossfire too

Charity, school and social support websites are being cut off from the people who need it most by indiscriminate web filters designed to protect children from harmful online content, according to Virtual Private Network (VPN) comparison service Top10VPN.com in partnership with Open Rights Group.

The two organisations collaborated to publish today the most comprehensive study of its kind into website blocking by UK ISP (Internet Service Providers) adult content filters. The report analyses the results of tests on 35 million unique domains across 15 ISPs and mobile providers[1].

The study found that in the last two years around 700,000 websites have been blocked by UK ISPs in a Government-backed attempt to protect vulnerable users online. Switched on by default, these content filters are active in 3.7M British households plus mobile phone users who haven’t opted out.

Due to a combination of keyword-based, crude and highly opaque filtering systems, countless companies and not-for-profits have been inadvertently caught in the crossfire – preventing adults from accessing vital information about drug and alcohol addiction, mental health support, as well as sexual and domestic abuse.

The indiscriminate nature of these filters is underlined by the fact that fewer than 5% of cases of previously blocked sites have failed to be overturned since 2017 while 1,300 blocks were reversed, suggesting that many more have been, and remain, incorrectly censored. The issue is compounded by the fact that many businesses and charities are rarely aware that ISPs are blocking their websites unless their own providers are also filtering them.

Charities and social support services are particularly susceptible to ‘overblocking’, owing to the likelihood of their websites featuring keywords that are blacklisted. Over 400 UK charities, social support and school websites have been caught by these filters in the past two years alone, while at least 120 sites are still affected – depriving these largely third sector entities from carrying out their mission.

Even small businesses have fallen foul of these aggressive and absurdly crude content controls. Drainage companies, for example, have been caught up in ISP filters for using terms like ‘unblock’ under the assumption they are censoring web anonymisers and proxies.

This issue is compounded by the complexity of getting ‘innocent’ sites unblocked and the response rate in rectifying these issues – almost three in 10 (27.6%) unblock requests to ISPs from 2018 are still unresolved, with TalkTalk and Virgin Media as the worst offenders.

Jim Killock, Executive Director at Open Rights Group, says: “Filters are fundamentally bad products, that block too much and too little. Our report shows that website publishers are suffering the consequences. The only decent solution is to be very cautious about using filters. People should only use them if they are clear that they are necessary. Unfortunately, many filters are opt-out, so too many people and homes are using them needlessly.

“ISPs are using out-of-the-box solutions from third parties and so tend to pass the buck on queries about filtering. What we need is greater transparency into how ISPs are blocking sites. It should not be down to the volunteer efforts of donation-driven services such as Blocked.org.uk to deal with the problems that this government policy has created.”

Simon Migliano, head of research at Top10VPN.com, says: “A well-intentioned scheme by the Government to protect children from harmful content online has become a textbook example of ill-thought-out and hamfisted censorship. The irony is that the original intent was to protect the vulnerable online whereas now in-need adults are struggling to find vital information, and charities and support centres are being stifled by indiscriminate filters.

“This is a prime example of what happens when you use a blunt instrument for a delicate task. These crude and decidedly intransparent filters are hurting more than they are helping, and the responsibility to improve this dire situation should now sit with the ISPs and the Government.”

[1] 35 million sites tested using tool located at Blocked.org.uk since its launch in 2014 and over 760,000 blocked by ISP content filters. Testing massively expanded from March 2017 onwards and 90% of tests and results date from then.

[2] All sites still blocked at time of publication of report.

[3]Total number of ISPs that are blocking a domain

About Top10VPN.com is the world’s largest VPN review service. It rates and reviews the best VPN services to help protect consumers’ privacy online. The company also aims to educate the general public about digital privacy and cybersecurity risks through its free online resources.

Open Rights Group is a non-profit organisation that raises awareness of threats to the rights to privacy and free speech online. It challenges them through public campaigns, media commentary, legal actions, policy interventions and tech projects.

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