M.S.E. Filtering

A question about : M.S.E. Filtering

Hi, ;D

First post after six months of lurking, finally decided to register. Sorry I've nothing to contribute at the moment (working on something for you soon) but would like to pose a question.

Many companies including my employer now filter web content for abuse of priveledges or porn etc.

M.S.E has now been added to our list thus excluding us from an excellent site. We have requested it's removal from the filtering system but have been refused on the grounds that it would open the flood gates for everyone to do the same. > > >

The software (Websense) picks up on specifics such as "chat forum's" etc. Is there a real need to label it in the address as a chat forum - may be "readers write" -thus getting past the filter. It's hardly porn or idle chat, my company has even benefitted from M.S.E. on several occassions. Hope you can do something or advise of a way around the problem.

Cheers, Neil.

Best answers:

• No advice from me i am afraid, that is down to the techi side of the site, but i just wanted to say, welcome to the boards. Its nice to have you aboard!!!
• From what i understand / been told it's picked up from the meta tags. Where i work we also use Websense (pile of frickin shoite) and only recently - past 2 weeks - it's been picking MSE up as a chat room So it could be a recent change here that's causing it..
  Possibly so more searches pick it up
• Can i check does it block the main site and the chat forum or just the forum? !Do any techies know if it maybe because the address now starts https://forum
  That was the change when we switched servers - it may well be the difference
• i've not tried the main site but i can get on a few forums. It could be cos of the forum. as the 2 i can get on are /forum.
• Hi,
  Sorry for the delay, have been in work on 2-10 shift and obviously can't see the site (or some of it). Having to text in to the night shift and wait for response. I think we can access the main site and some times the forums if we click quick enough to beat the websense software. Perhaps you right about the "forum" bit. I'll try to post more info when night shift reply. Agree with scheming gypsie's comments.
  Also, thanks for the welcome. I always get a bit annoyed when I go through the forums and see umpteen replies just saying "thanks for this one". Feel a bit guilty now, makes a bit of a difference when your actually on the receiving end! :-[
  Makes me want to try harder to give something back after leeching loads from this site. I reckon I've saved about Ј600 on insurance, another Ј150 on products and tons of freebies. Best had to be Ј300 worth of webcam and headsets (vizzitme/BT) for me and my daughters school. ;D ;D ;D
  Cheers, Neil
• Thanks Neil,
  Glad it's working - if any of you can confirm whether it's the 'forum' thing in the URL that's cool - as if so i've discussed it with webbie and we'll change it. However it'll meana bit of work and downtime - so if it's not that would prefer not to do it.
  martin
• Hello again, !
  Can now confirm we have access to main site but not to chat forums. May be an idea to create a tech testing forum page (on the main site) to play around with rather than interfere with your main site. That way you would only have to change things when you know for sure that we are right. I don't know if that's easy, just an idea.
  By the way, we still have full access to "Tekforums" and "DVD reviewer bargains" if that info helps. Thanks again for your help so far.
  Cheers, Neil
  P.S. ! popularity is (was) growing, just found another four pc's in work with MSE in their favourites bar and one guy reading your book! seem to have started something!
• MSE and ebay are taking over the world
• Websense have changed their categories of the M.S.E forum and it is no longer filtered.
  (posting from work, using a network that uses Websense filtering).
• Hiya I've been talking to websense
  Seemed they had the Chat Forum categorised as 'Chat' not a bulletin board. So now only companies who ban both will have access blocked, most companies only stop Chats - so hopefully you should all be back
• Martin, I checked Thursday and Friday last week and all chats were back to normal. Monday they were down again, and Tuesday they were ok ???
  They appear to be back online at the moment though, lets hope it stays that way.
  Thanks for spending valuable time sorting this one out just for the odd few of us.
  Regards, Neil