THE UK MAY NOW RESUME PARTICIPATION IN WIKIPEDIA!

IWF backs down over 'child porn' Wikipedia page

Controversial entry removed from blacklist

Juan Carlos Perez
December 10, 2008

A Wikipedia page blacklisted in the UK over child pornography concerns has been unblocked, a decision that also fully restores the ability of UK residents to edit articles on the online encyclopedia.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), the nonprofit group that blacklisted the web page, announced on Tuesday that it has reversed course on the matter, although it still believes the image is potentially illegal in the UK. The image in question is of a naked and possibly underage female on the cover of a 1976 album from German rock group The Scorpions titled 'Virgin Killer'.

"In light of the length of time the image has existed and its wide availability, the decision has been taken to remove this webpage from our list," the IWF said. About 95 percent of UK ISPs, by Wikimedia's estimate, block web pages based on IWF's list.

The chain of events started on December 4, when the IWF received a report from someone objecting to the Wikipedia article about the album that featured the cover image. Upon reviewing the user's complaint, the IWF, which works with law enforcement to block and remove child pornography online, decided to blacklist this web page. ISPs that block pages based on the IWF's list then took action to shut off access to the offending Wikipedia article.

Once Wikipedia landed on the IWF blacklist, UK ISPs adopting the block began routing access to Wikipedia through a transparent proxy server. This made all UK internet users indistinguishable by IP address, making them appear to Wikipedia as the same person. This in turn triggered a Wikipedia protective mechanism against abusive editing, leading the site to prevent these users from editing, according to Wikimedia.

Wikimedia estimates that there are "tens of thousands" of UK residents who regularly edit Wikipedia articles, amounting to about 25 percent of all edits to the English version of the encyclopedia.

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An earlier report on the "blacklisting" is at the same site: ISPs block access to 'illegal' Wikipedia page (December 8, 2008).

UK editors may resume using their blue pencils (or whatever is the Wiki equivalent).

John