The Green is Blocked

June 12, 2012 7:35 AM

Open DNS thinks AskMe is naughty?

We have Open DNS at work to filter out the stuff the company says shouldn't be looking at (naked people, games, naked people playing games, etc). But this morning, AskMe is tagged as porn. Hunh? Did something happen on the green or is it another case of overzealous admins somewhere tagging something as porn when it isn't?

posted by skittlekicks to MetaFilter-Related at 7:35 AM (70 comments total)

We're not sure. Someone else reported this to us yesterday so we're aware of the problem. Since Open DNS relies on user-submitted reports, we're not sure if this is a straightforward "Hey AskMe talks about some adult topics so this is reasonable" or "Some pissed off user decided to make a fake report and create a hassle for us" Last I heard Matt was going to talk to them and see what we could do.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:37 AM on June 12, 2012

That just happened to me, too. What are you guys talking about back there?
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 7:38 AM on June 12, 2012

According to their listings, it was tagged as porn (and politics) by a moderator - with porn subsequently having been approved by a second moderator. Love to know what I've been missing out on in Ask... lots of secret asciiporn perhaps?

Love the "Screenshot may be offensive." notice.
posted by Hobo at 7:48 AM on June 12, 2012 [4 favorites]

Not strictly the same, but related: I got some "comment couldn't be posted because load is too high" errors earlier, and then I couldn't load the site at all... DOS attack of some kind?
posted by kmz at 7:48 AM on June 12, 2012

Not that we know of, just some server errors. pb is up and looking at it and we just rebooted the servers so hopefully it's all right now.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 7:49 AM on June 12, 2012

"Dear Ask Metafilter, I'm home all alone and my cable TV has gone out. Can you help me?"

You can imagine where it goes from there.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 7:51 AM on June 12, 2012 [14 favorites]

Ask Metafilter fixes the cable?
posted by Hobo at 7:52 AM on June 12, 2012 [22 favorites]

doesn't fix the cable, lays the cable.
posted by k5.user at 7:56 AM on June 12, 2012 [4 favorites]

We contacted OpenDNS yesterday and asked them to review this, but ultimately it's their decision. There is adult conversation at Ask, maybe that was confused with pornography. Matt also asked OpenDNS about it on Twitter.

The servers are humming along again.
posted by pb (staff) at 8:00 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

Y'all obviously haven't been looking at your MyAsk tab. There is some seriously filthy shit in there.
posted by Think_Long at 8:02 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

Don't be fatuous, Hobo.
posted by zombieflanders at 8:02 AM on June 12, 2012 [7 favorites]

Ask Metafilter suggests seven different ways to fix the cable, three suggestions to DTMFCA and a 200 comment META on the inherent problems with hetronormative assumptions inherent on the majority of cable shows with a derail on how cool Mad Men is.
posted by edgeways at 8:09 AM on June 12, 2012 [13 favorites]

It might be pretty charitable to call MeFi "adult conversation".
posted by DU at 8:12 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

It might.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 8:16 AM on June 12, 2012 [4 favorites]

If you read the first letter of every post it spells out just about the filthiest Spock/Kirk slash you've ever read.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:51 AM on June 12, 2012 [5 favorites]

damn, rick rolled again. Thanks, cortex.
posted by k5.user at 8:56 AM on June 12, 2012

OpenDNS says they're looking into it.
posted by zamboni at 8:59 AM on June 12, 2012

That is exactly why I'm not concerned with apocalyptic scenarios when it comes to emergent AIs. If the internet really gains consciousness, it's not going to go all SkyNet. Rather, it will try to friend us on LiveJournal and then try to invite us to its "private" DragonCon afterparty.
posted by griphus at 8:59 AM on June 12, 2012 [13 favorites]

Metafilter often has adult conversations - questions about taxes; voting issues; how to deal with children; pitfalls & nuances about buying & maintaining property; weddings & planning; how to resolve conflicts with partners; complains & questions about the state of one's health - these are all things that adults talk about ad nauseum, while non-adults hardly ever talk about these things (because they are soooo boring).

Which is not to deny that there are kid-type topics & conversations, too - sex, taboo words & other ways to shock adults; porn; should-I-eat-this; pets..

It tries to be inclusive - something the whole damn family can participate in..
posted by Tuesday After Lunch at 9:12 AM on June 12, 2012 [4 favorites]

griphus: "Rather, it will try to friend us on LiveJournal and then try to invite us to its "private" DragonCon afterparty."

Greetings Professor Falken. Shall we play a game? Y/N >_

posted by zarq at 9:15 AM on June 12, 2012 [8 favorites]

oh god N
posted by griphus at 9:28 AM on June 12, 2012 [9 favorites]

WOPR / 7 / Cheyenne Mountain, CO
posted by Horace Rumpole at 9:36 AM on June 12, 2012 [6 favorites]

To take Tuesday After Lunch's riff a bit further, Mr. Sidhedevil and I have often toyed with the idea of uploading videos to YouTube tagged "ADULT CONTENT" and having them be people talking about real estate, golf scores, their aching knees...
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:47 AM on June 12, 2012 [15 favorites]

I was on a pornography site. I was looking at pornography.
posted by Eideteker at 10:08 AM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]

Well, I just tried the green again on a lark and it's back. Yay! And to expand further on the riff, years ago I had the idea of advertising for a financial consultant by putting ADULT CONTENT on the outside of envelopes. Inside, of course, would be 401k and stock discussions.
posted by skittlekicks at 10:16 AM on June 12, 2012 [3 favorites]

It was a simple mistake. They meant to flag my magnum opus dei AskMe After Hours: The caBalling.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:22 AM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]

AKA Blogjamming.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:24 AM on June 12, 2012 [8 favorites]

Yep, looks like they dropped pornography from the listing, but adult theme shows up on both MetaFilter and Ask MetaFilter still. Odd.

Still, the system sort of works!
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:49 AM on June 12, 2012

Is this where I complain about not having a good phrase to describe the Non-Children's Video Section at the library?

People give me weird looks when I say I'll meet them over by the "adult videos."


And don't get me started on those non-explicit "graphic" novels.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 10:50 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

If the system sort of works for more than four hours, call your cable provider.*

*There is no cabal provider
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:52 AM on June 12, 2012 [5 favorites]

I'll be in my cache.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:04 AM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]

Is this where I complain about not having a good phrase to describe the Non-Children's Video Section at the library?

People give me weird looks when I say I'll meet them over by the "adult videos."

Yeah, I accidentally said to some friends that I went to an "adult party"---meaning my kids weren't invited. Oops. The only work-around I could figure out was that it really was a "grown-up party".
posted by leahwrenn at 11:04 AM on June 12, 2012

And don't get me started on those non-explicit "graphic" novels.

We had a section called "adult graphic novels" at the library I worked with and it was like a tic with me that I could Not Get Over my disappointment every time I walked by there and there was no Cherry Poptart or whatever in with the From Hell and all the rest.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:09 AM on June 12, 2012 [7 favorites]

I go with Serious Thinky Picture Books myself.
posted by The Whelk at 11:14 AM on June 12, 2012 [5 favorites]

Dear Mr. Haughey,

It appears the problem stemmed from your failure to pay your cabal dues to the Illuminati Holdings Group last month.

Please don't let this happen again or your website may disappear from all DNS servers.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. Thank you!

Lindsay
OpenDNS Team
posted by double block and bleed at 11:14 AM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]

I once had some adult friends over to my one-time pad for an encryption key party. There were a few misunderstandings. Luckily, we were using the algorithm method, so there wasn't any unauthorized elevation of privilege, if you know what I mean. And I know that you don't.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:18 AM on June 12, 2012 [7 favorites]

Eponysterical!
posted by likeso at 11:18 AM on June 12, 2012

Heh, not IRFH, but double block and bleed, of course.
posted by likeso at 11:19 AM on June 12, 2012

Neal Stephenson's Ic3 Storm
posted by griphus at 11:21 AM on June 12, 2012

Is this where I complain about not having a good phrase to describe the Non-Children's Video Section at the library?

People give me weird looks when I say I'll meet them over by the "adult videos."

Pretty good... my irk has been how similar "foreign" and "porn" sound if you are not paying close attention or the speaker has a thick accent. Years ago in a video store with my wife the word-slurring clerk called out to me, "Hey, you're the guy that like those foreign flicks right? We got a new batch in." Took me half a second to not misinterpret it, and the missus certainly was a bit puzzled.
posted by edgeways at 11:33 AM on June 12, 2012

A few years ago my neice was big into the Noddy childrens character. At Christmas my wife and myself went to a local toystore, after looking around for a bit unsuccesfully I asked a member of staff if they had any Noddy toys. He looked at me funny, kind of laughed, and said, "No, we don't sell naughty toys."
posted by Elmore at 11:47 AM on June 12, 2012 [5 favorites]

edgeways: "Took me half a second to not misinterpret it, and the missus certainly was a bit puzzled."

She bought that?? You must be very convincing in person!
posted by Grither at 11:55 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

Metafilter: no Cherry Poptart or whatever in with the From Hell and all the rest.
posted by Melismata at 12:10 PM on June 12, 2012 [4 favorites]

Naughty toys are on the Green aisle. Clean up in the Gray.
posted by arcticseal at 12:19 PM on June 12, 2012

They're still blocking MetaPorn though, right? I can't seem to get to that.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:20 PM on June 12, 2012

I was going to say that, as much as I like you all, I wasn't interested in MetaPorn.

Then I remember how a guy I used to 'know' said that I over thought everything re: sex.

And I suppose that's what MetaPorn would be, right?
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:23 PM on June 12, 2012

HI I'M ON METAFILTER AND I COULD OVERTHINK A BAG OF DICKS
posted by griphus at 12:27 PM on June 12, 2012 [7 favorites]

I've never met a MetaHorn
I hope to never meetup one
But I can tell you MetaPorn
Is altogether bean upon
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:28 PM on June 12, 2012 [3 favorites]

They're still blocking MetaPorn though, right? I can't seem to get to that.

You have to post three times before you can download from MP.
posted by Elmore at 12:31 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

And no self-linking, just in case that's what you are into.
posted by Elmore at 12:33 PM on June 12, 2012

Louis C.K has a bit where he totally overthinks a bag of dicks.

( two Meta threads about dicks, my work here is done)
posted by The Whelk at 12:37 PM on June 12, 2012

Note: Whelk died on his way back to his home planet.
posted by griphus at 12:38 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

K-Prix?
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:39 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yep, looks like they dropped pornography from the listing, but adult theme shows up on both MetaFilter and Ask MetaFilter still. Odd.

It's not that odd- MeFi and AskMe often has grown-up content. From the category definitions:

Sites that are adult in nature and are not defined in other rating categories. Note: This category should only be turned on if you want to be very restrictive on your network.

posted by zamboni at 2:03 PM on June 12, 2012

Sites that are adult in nature and are not defined in other rating categories. Note: This category should only be turned on if you want to be very restrictive on your network.

Well that's the problem with these sorts of things. I'll give them credit for cautioning against turning on this filter, but what the heck does "adult in nature" mean? We occasionally discuss adult things on AskMe, sure, but the primary emphasis of the site is certainly not "adult" in nature. If anything, AskMe is all about the wonderful childlike sense of curiosity that comes form asking and answering questions.

"Adult in nature" sounds like something a little kid who's tired of being stuck at the kids table would dream up.
posted by zachlipton at 2:33 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

It means grown ups in the woods.
posted by The Whelk at 2:37 PM on June 12, 2012

And bears. Bears in the woods.
posted by likeso at 2:40 PM on June 12, 2012

Elmore: "And no self-linking, just in case that's what you are into."
Except, on MetaPorn, you don't get banned, you go blind.
posted by dg at 4:08 PM on June 12, 2012

If you read the first letter of every post it spells out just about the filthiest Spock/Kirk slash you've ever read.

Ah, nothing like classic alt.porn in the original Klingon as Shakespere intended. The Vulcan nerve pinch indeed. Qaapla.
posted by fuq at 5:01 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Vulcan nerve pinch indeed.

The cool thing about the Vulcan nerve pinch is that it doesn't have to be administered by fingers. Any part of the Vulcan will do.
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:29 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

I feel like if there even was a MetaPorn tab it would be filled with "can I eat this?" posts.
posted by littlesq at 8:44 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

I think it would be more like 'Can I eat this!'.
posted by dg at 8:55 PM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]

You know, for a bunch of smart people y'all aren't very good at putting two and two together. :-)
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:42 PM on June 12, 2012

Sites that are adult in nature and are not defined in other rating categories.

I think that's a reasonable description. There's a lot of stuff discussed on askme that would be better understood if read with an adult.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 11:00 PM on June 12, 2012

so this is why Queensland Rail won't let me use their wifi! Good to know.
posted by b33j at 4:30 AM on June 13, 2012

"I was on a pornography site. I was looking at pornography.
posted by Eideteker at 10:08 AM on June 12 [2 favorites]"

I'm kind of tickled that I hit my 8,000th MeFi favorite (and 500th facebook 'friend') on my birthday.
posted by Eideteker at 5:48 AM on June 13, 2012

AskMe is naughty?

. . . only when it's done right.
posted by endless_forms at 7:44 AM on June 13, 2012

Happy Birthday, Eideteker!
posted by zarq at 11:53 AM on June 13, 2012

Dear AskMe,

I never thought it would happen to me....
posted by spilon at 7:38 PM on June 13, 2012

Seen on tumblr in response to "is there bible fanfic?"
posted by maxwelton at 12:51 AM on June 14, 2012