[nocoment]

An ISP is in an ideal position to coordinate resistance to censorship. Everyone using your service to provide content should be able to opt-in to being a proxy for all other content. Then censors get to select between allowing all content, no objector's content or attempt to filter too high in the stack and/or violate copyright.

[jamesbrownuhh]

As I understand it, currently it's only the major UK ISPs offering this filtering, and they're doing so only as a result of political pressure rather than primary legislation. The big guys like BT, Sky, Virgin, etc, are just too scared of a bit of bad press or being called out by a politician, hence their craven (but voluntary) adoption of these suggestions.

There are plenty of smaller ISPs around and few of them are remotely interested in joining the filter party. There's no reason for them to do so if they don't wish to. At least currently. There's nothing to say that at some point in the future a new "crackdown" won't be announced by a politician looking for an easy headline and their face in the papers.

Thin end of the wedge, obviously - but currently these filters are entirely optional, both for ISPs and end-users.

[alan_cx]

BT, Sky and Virgin are also broadcasters. I wonder if their bending over for the government has something to do with their desire to retain their government granted licenses to remain broadcasters.