APNewsBreak: Web filter lifts block on gay sites

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-EXCITE

By MARTHA MENDOZA

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A popular online safe-search filter is ending its practice of blocking links to mainstream gay and lesbian advocacy groups for users hoping to avoid obscene sites.

For several years, top Web-filtering services have been resolving a security over-reach that conflated gay rights websites with child porn, blocking both from web surfers using safe-search software. Now Symantec, one of a handful of key players in the content-filtering market, is joining the push.

Online security firm Symantec told The Associated Press that while customers can still set their search to block offensive websites, there will no longer be an option to block websites just because they relate to sexual orientation.

"Making this change was not only the right thing to do, it was a good business decision," said Fran Rosch, executive vice president, Norton Business Unit, Symantec in a Tuesday announcement. "Having a category in place that could be used to filter out all LGBT-oriented sites was inconsistent with Symantec's values and the mission of our software."

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140916/us-online-filters-lifted-fda729c063.html

[JimDandy]

1. Better late than never. n/t