Ridiculous library censorship.

[RangerWickett]

This past week I was out of town, and had to use a public library's computer. I made the mistake of writing on my novel on one of these computers, which apparently gave the thing's censoring program permission to edit my text. So here's a list of the often ridiculous words that the library thought needed to be censored. I want to see how many of them EN World thinks are inappropriate.

(the f-word)
Of (not just the s-word by itself, though)
Bastard
Hookas (edited out of the words "shook as")
Piercings (from "piercing sound")
game (from "taking a measure")
kill them (from "kill the monster")
(a-hole)
bondage - I was using it in the meaning of "my kin are in bondage"
naked man
exotica (from "exotically")
brothel
lotto (from "cost a lot to")
hot butt (from "hot butter")
red hand -- I don't know why this is censored.
red hot -- ditto.
clit (from "idiotic little lambchops")
rrated (from "serrated") -- what the hell?
hacking

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Ahhhh, cybercensors!

Just a few weeks ago, Jay Leno pointed out a conservative Christian newspaper's cybercensoring software edited one of their own stories.

In it, they reported the successful efforts of US sprinter Tyson Gay to qualify for the Olympics this year...

but they changed his name to "Tyson Homosexual." As in "Mr. Homosexual ran the race in near record time..." and so forth.

 

[Tewligan]

"Idiotic little lambchops"?

 

[RangerWickett]

Don't hate. It's a perfectly reasonable phrase to use when engaged in a spell duel in the presence of sheep.

I still wish I could figure out the "red hand" one, though.

 

[Orius]

This past week I was out of town, and had to use a public library's computer. I made the mistake of writing on my novel on one of these computers, which apparently gave the thing's censoring program permission to edit my text. So here's a list of the often ridiculous words that the library thought needed to be censored. I want to see how many of them EN World thinks are inappropriate.

It's a terrible filter, IMO. Can't check context, and doesn't see spaces and separate words.

(the f-word)
Of (not just the s-word by itself, though)

Yeah.

Bastard

We need to be able to talk about bastard swords, you know. Censoring that here would be more trouble than it's worth.

Hookas (edited out of the words "shook as")

Probably to fight teen smoking. I hear hookas are gaining popularity these days. But no context.

Piercings (from "piercing sound")

Seems silly, maybe it's to prevent parent rage over kids getting all kinds of wacky piercings.

game (from "taking a measure")

Out of context, and harmless as well. Unless they want to prevent kids from playing internet games or it's related to lotto below.

kill them (from "kill the monster")

Trying to calm kiddie rage I guess. Bad context again.

bondage - I was using it in the meaning of "my kin are in bondage"
naked man

Not surprising, obviously a porn blocking measure.

exotica (from "exotically")

Some idiot doesn't know the difference between "exotic" and "erotic".

brothel

Again, porn.

lotto (from "cost a lot to")

Probably to block internet gambling.

hot butt (from "hot butter")
red hand -- I don't know why this is censored.
red hot -- ditto.
clit (from "idiotic little lambchops")

Again, porn out of context. At least, I'm guessing red hand is porn-related somehow, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to know.

I'm sure you can figure out the other three.

rrated (from "serrated") -- what the hell?

Probably porn related again, or maybe it's to block violence or language. This filter is obviously more strict that something just blocking x-rated.

hacking

Computer hacking, obviously.

In any case, that library's filter is obviously too stringent to be of any use. I feel sorry for someone of low-income without a computer at home looking for health information there (good luck finding information on breast cancer!).

It's not just that it's blocking anything that could obviously be related to porn, gambling, illegal activity or anything that might even remotely corrupt a child's mind. It can't check squat for context, and that's where it becomes useless. It looks like it was programmed by the Church Lady, IMO.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I still wish I could figure out the "red hand" one, though.

I think this has something to do with shoplifting/stealing. I know that when I was younger the phrase would be, 'Yeah, he got caught red handed' in regard to such.

 

[RangerWickett]

Weirdly, I recall that 'breast' was not censored. My mom specifically mentioned that they'd had complaints about breast cancer and, of all things, 'chicken breast recipes.'

But apparently breasts are fine, but games are right out.

 

[Orius]

I think this has something to do with shoplifting/stealing. I know that when I was younger the phrase would be, 'Yeah, he got caught red handed' in regard to such.

That probably explains it then. I had no idea what it could be, so I assumed Rule Thirty Six. Even if it does apply to shoplifting, Rule 36 by its very nature still applies.

Weirdly, I recall that 'breast' was not censored. My mom specifically mentioned that they'd had complaints about breast cancer and, of all things, 'chicken breast recipes.'

But apparently breasts are fine, but games are right out.

Wow, so they actually have been making sure the filter is actually usable. And yeah, I've read about the chicken example. It seems bizarre, but it's true.

 

[Morrus]

I think this has something to do with shoplifting/stealing. I know that when I was younger the phrase would be, 'Yeah, he got caught red handed' in regard to such.

"Caught red-handed" is a very common phrase. It doesn't refer to stealing specifically, but simply means "caught in the act", whatever the act may be, with the implication that said act is dishonest. It can be used for catching someone in the act of stealing, but it can be used for catching someone enagaged at that moment in any dishonest act.

I can catch my new puppy red-handed chewing cables, for example.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I can catch my new puppy red-handed chewing cables, for example.

Examples taken from real world personal experience are always the best, eh?
One of my "flat-mates" owned a rabbit that loved to chew on cable, including my friends power cable, and my network cable once...

Still, I see no reason to censor this. It must be something else.