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Should airlines filter their wireless?
Now that airlines have started broadcasting wireless internet in their aircraft, people are starting to get concerned about the "content" that gets piped into the aircraft. And by content I mean porn. Seems that not everyone is comfortable with the idea of rampant browsing with 200 people around you to look over your shoulder. A casual concern for a few people, but now The Flight Attendants have decided to weigh in. In letters to management this past week, the union representing American Airlines' crew has requested filters be added to flight Wi-Fi in order to prevent illicit browsing and other chicanery.
Their reasoning is that they're already busy enough taking care of passenger and flight needs -- they have neither the bandwith nor the responsibility to police passengers.
Personally, I could go either way on this. I tend to think that we as Americans don't need to be nannied and should be able to handle ourselves properly -- not all cafés, libraries and offices are filtered, right? But in the other light, I don't care if clearly illicit sites are blocked -- I wouldn't be going there anyway. I think what most people are worried about is if the nannying gets too far; if perezhilton.com and usmagazine.com get mistakenly blocked because Britney got pregnant again, then people might get mad.
So it doesn't really matter to me. What about you?
| No, people have self control | |
|---|---|
| Yes, people are shady! |
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brian M Sep 16th 2008 3:58PM
My day job is director of IT for a public library system. We do not filter anything. But, we also have 3 separate computing areas for 0~12, 13~18 and 18+... we don't allow any cross-over. And our librarians are NOT doing all the other "stuff" that a FA has to deal with ~ not to mention that we have a minimum of 5 staff for a maximum of about 30 computer users...
If I were a parent, I'd want filtering. I am IT and want access to any/everything. There's no way to win... you're going to piss off someone. Might as well make it the people who are surfing pr0n... Anyone who'd be doing that on a plane, in public, is not the kind of person you want on the plane in the first place (come on folks, do it in private.. and I'm *NOT* talking the Lavatory). Losing those "customers" would do the business good as they are likely the ones to cause other problems too... no sense of what's right and wrong in public spaces, much less respecting neighboring passengers.
Brenda SFO Sep 16th 2008 4:25PM
Honestly, even if one enjoys looking at those sites, who would want to look at them on an airplane? What, they can't wait until they get to their hotel room? Are there really that many pervs out there? I can understand the flight attendants wanting to "nip it in the bud" though, before they have to deal with that.
I don't like censorship period, so maybe they could run a trial period and see if people abuse the situation? I would like to hear some of our flight attendants weigh in here. Since they are the ones dealing with passengers on a daily basis, I respect their opinion.
madcowdzz Sep 16th 2008 9:58PM
Although I disagree with censorship, I think if they absolutely must (and we know they will anyways), sounds like a job for OpenDNS.
Brenda SFO Sep 17th 2008 10:02AM
Yep, OpenDNS sounds like it would work, and they have servers all over the US.
Walter Sep 17th 2008 5:50PM
"Their reasoning is that they're already busy enough taking care of passenger and flight needs -- they have neither the bandwith nor the responsibility to police passengers"
BUSY?? TAKING CARE OF PASSENGERS?? phoar!! that would be a 1st! no matter what class u fly on AA the service is rubish!!
now on the actual subject of illicit content on board, yes i think they should filter it because is not fair on everyone else seating around the pax looking at porn regardless of everyone else is uncomfortable! and rude!
so im for it being filtered.