pipilo

Progress?  Seems to be human this time, but no name attached.  Perhaps it's progress, but the site is still blocked, 10 days after my initial inquiry.  I am naturally an optimistic person, perhaps to a fault.  Things seem to be looking up.  If a public apology is owed, I'll post it here, along with an endorsement, perhaps.  But not yet.

Here's the sequence so far...

Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 2:48 PM

To: support@icoacorp.com

Subject: blocked site

Hi,

I post my own photos on http://pipilo.buzznet.com. I have not posted anything in the "Forbidden Category "Intimate Apparel/Swimsuit" that you have stated as the reason for blocking my site. I post mainly family photos. Most recently, I have posted a few photos from a major league baseball game.

Please unblock access to my website.

Thanks,

David

From: support@icoacorp.com [mailto:support@icoacorp.com]

Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 7:34 AM

Subject: Re: blocked site

We appreciate your concern. Due to the public nature of the Panera Wireless Service, Panera Bread reserves the right to filter the internet service. Thank you for your e-mail request. We will be looking into the site you mentioned and, if approved, it will be filtered within 72 hours.

Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 8:16 AM

To: support@icoacorp.com

Subject: RE: blocked site

Dear support,

I have no problem with the idea of filters, as much of the internet is inappropriate to be accidently seen in public places like Panera. My site (http://pipilo.buzznet.com) is a site that I use to post family photos and other photos of my community and everyday life. If you find it inappropriate, I would appreciate knowing the reason.

Thank you,

Dave

From: support@icoacorp.com [mailto:support@icoacorp.com]

Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2005 9:34 AM

Subject: Re: blocked site

We appreciate your concern. Due to the public nature of the Panera Wireless Service, Panera Bread reserves the right to filter the internet service. Thank you for your e-mail request. We will be looking into the site you mentioned and, if approved, it will be filtered within 72 hours.

Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 2:55 PM

To: support@icoacorp.com

Subject: RE: blocked site

Hello.

I am at Panera Bread and my site is still being censored. Can you tell me the reason for the censorship of http://pipilo.buzznet.com?

Thanks,

David

Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2005 8:45 PM

To: support@icoacorp.com

Subject: RE: blocked site

Hi,

I am hoping to get a response to my previous question as to why my family photo collection site at http://pipilo.buzznet.com has been blocked at Panera Bread restaurants. The page that I get at Panera when I try to access my site says that it was blocked because of intimate apparel/swimsuits. I know that I do not have intimate apparel posted on my site. I also know that I have recently posted some photos of my son surfing at the beach, so I do have photos that include him in his swimsuit. Is this the reason my site is banned? Please let me know.

I would like to continue using the Panera wireless service. In fact, I have scheduled my office hours here for my college chemistry class. I will not, however, return to the restaurant if my site is banned because it includes photos of my 16-yr old son surfing in his swim suit.

Thanks,

David

From: support@icoacorp.com [mailto:support@icoacorp.com]

Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 6:33 AM

Subject: Re: blocked site

We apologize for your inconvenience and appreciate your concern. Due to the public nature of the Panera Wireless Service, Panera Bread reserves the right to filter the internet service. Unfortunately this is done so through an automated system that does not distinguish between family sites and other questionable material. Thank you for your e-mail. We will be reviewing the site you mentioned and, if approved, it will be available within 72 hours.

Sincerely,

The PaneraBread Helpdesk

Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 7:17 AM

To: support@icoacorp.com

Subject: RE: blocked site

HELLOOOOOOOOO...

I got an email saying this same thing six days ago. Can somebody please answer the question? Are all emails to you answered with this response?

Thanks.

Dave

From: support@icoacorp.com [mailto:support@icoacorp.com]

Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 7:56 AM

Subject: Re: blocked site

Dear Sir,

The blocking of your site does not reflect the policies at Panera concerning family pictures and such material. Because it is automated, the firewall used at PaneraBread stores simply uses a general monitor that blocks anything questionable. As a simple family site your request should have resulted in it becoming available within a few hours of you e-mail. I have resubmitted your site for review and our staff will be unblocking those they approve. Thank you for time and we apologize again for your inconvenience at the Panera stores. We appreciate your business and hope you continue to enjoy the free WiFi service.

Sincerely,

The PaneraBread Helpdesk.

Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 8:10 AM

To: support@icoacorp.com

Subject: RE: blocked site

Hi Helpdesk!

Thanks for the reply. I really do enjoy Panera and am planning to use it to host my chemistry students for office hours next semester. I had previously used Barnes & Noble (in the same mall) but like Panera because of the soup, the bread, the more relaxed atmosphere, and the wireless. This censorship issue has been a thorn in my side for over a week now, so I was dismayed at the previous email, which I had received twice already, both six days earlier. Thanks very much for the actual reply. It really makes a difference to hear from an actual person at last!

Dave

Okay, so what's this all about?  If you're sitting in a Panera Bread restaurant right now, you can't read this, because they block all access to Buzznet sites!  Supposedly (according to the blocked site screen that popped up last time I tried to access http://pipilo.buzznet.com) because the site contains swimwear.  I checked my site and realized that in fact it does contain swimwear, in the three photos I posted of my son surfing with his friends.  Oh my!

Is anybody else experiencing such censorship?  I notice also that the entire Buzznet site is blocked.  Panera has a great wireless Internet access policy.  It's free and unlimited, which gives me a great place to sit and surf the net a bit between my daytime job and my nighttime job.  I get a bowl of soup and I'm all set for the evening.  Now this.  Ugh.

I asked one of the Panera employees about it and he said that it's a "Christian company" and they don't put up with things like swimsuits on the Internet.  Oh my god.  Are these people crazy?  Are they worshipping the same God I know?  Somehow I doubt it.  Somehow I wonder if the employee really knows what he's talking about.  It can't be true. I know the "Christian Right" sometimes goes a little overboard, but this is ridiculous.

I emailed the Panera censorship company, thee "SonicWALL Content Filter Service" run by ICOACorp.com and they said they'd check into it and, if appropriate, unblock my site within 72 hours.