QP Internet Access: Optus is an overzealous Big Brother

[penegal]

I am against censorship in general.

I know that there is "bad" content out there on the internet, but there is a huge amount of extremely valuable content, and interactive forums / platforms which enrich modern society. I believe the good outweighs the bad. Of course this is a simplistic view, because "bad" is open to interpretation, but I don't think censoring the internet is the answer.

Plus, from a practical point of view most web "filters" slow things down, and they are ineffective anyway.

---

I have had no experience of Qantas blocking, but have notice things blocked in Singapore.

In Australia I use my Telstra "4G" card with my work laptop. (The "4G" device is currently locked in the 3G mode so it doesn't drop out, and acts as a VPN tunnel to our network) .

 

[Paddy55]

COMEDY MODE ON -

Did anyone else notice the irony in the fact that Paddy55 is unhappy with this 'Big Brother' attitude; yet his avatar pic is HAL???

COMEDY MODE OFF

I do see the funny side of that, and well spotted. :mrgreen:

Someone mentioned "well its a free service" .... hmmm I think the people using that service have paid a fair few $$$ to get into the QP, or in the Dom B Lounge as I was, and QF is offering a number of benefits in appreciation.

The story I was blocked on... well I just can't see how it was objectionable to anyone, unless accessing a story about TomKat's divorce is poor taste

 

[medhead]

Funny how there are always people who just don't understand the concept of publicly available.

 

[Kangol]

Hate to break it to you but all those groups are in fact part of the general public.

Hate to break it to you but "part of the general public" is in fact not the same as "the general public". All groups are "part of the general public".
Non-QP/SG/WP/OWS/OWE/P1/CL/J or F pax are "part of the general public" - now are they entitled to the service because they are "part of the general public"?

WP/SG/OWE/OWS people are 'general public'. They have not paid for lounge access, rather been granted it on the basis of their travel patterns. It's important to remember that for these people it is *not* a 'paid for' lounge. It's an access privilege.

Don't forget there are those who have access who have specifically paid for lounge access (QP members) and those who have paid for it based on their ticket (J/F pax).
It's important to remember that for these people it is *not* an access privilege. It's a 'paid for' lounge.

There are also those who are in none of the above categories (CL or even "status matched" non-QF OWS/OWE).

FWIW I'm totally against censorship in general, but technically the QP is not a "public lounge".

There is a difference between providing a service to the public vs providing a service to eligible members... whereby membership is open to the public and to become a member all you need to do is pay (directly or indirectly) or display "behaviour" (referring to CLs) that will grant you membership.

Splitting hairs, but it is what it is.

 

[medhead]

This is just dodgy. The simple fact is that the wifi is a service that is provided to the public on certain conditions. It is not a private network only available to a restricted group of people, like employees.

 

[TonyHancock]

Does Optus provide a similar service for other organisations......and if so do they also censor sites?

 

[serfty]

Cop it all the time at work - no drop box, very few photo webistes, facebook etc. But that's not public.

Once upon a time the FT home page was blocked in the QP's - caused some antipodean concern until it was realised that the "forums" tab shortcut would work.

 

[lovestotravel]

Once again

Don't like the service, submit feedback

Don't like it after that, use your own connection to the net

No one is forcing you to use the service provided free by Qantas

 

[TonyHancock]

Once again

Don't like the service, submit feedback

Don't like it after that, use your own connection to the net

No one is forcing you to use the service provided free by Qantas

Or fly with an alternative airline where the Internet isn't censored.

 

[ferdeline]

Makes me furious! Because being gay is such a filthy dirty thing, isn't it!

No, and I am uncomfortable with what you are suggesting.

 

[Happy Trails]

No, and I am uncomfortable with what you are suggesting.

I thought there might have been just the merest trace of irony in Berlin's post.

 

[drewbles]

Once again

Don't like the service, submit feedback

Don't like it after that, use your own connection to the net

No one is forcing you to use the service provided free by Qantas

No one is suggesting we are being forced to use the service. If you're providing it though, don't censor it so blatantly to the point of being prejudice.

Or fly with an alternative airline where the Internet isn't censored.

Virgin also have a net filter, albeit less draconian in my experience.

 

[Paddy55]

No one is suggesting we are being forced to use the service. If you're providing it though, don't censor it so blatantly to the point of being prejudice.

Exactly my point drewbles, thank you

 

[Berlin]

I gotta drag this thread out as I'm currently in the QF lounge and noticed that inthemix for some reason gets censored. Inthemix? It's a totally harmless dance music website that lists music venues, festival dates etc. What the...?

While I was at it, I checked gaycities again which I had messaged them about several times now and, see, it's still blocked. It's a travel website, no naked men in sight anywhere. Really really angry! I know it's technically Singaporian-owned Optus but QF runs the risk of being seen as discriminating one of their most valuable customer (and, mind you, employee) group. Big time!

 

[Berlin]

These are the messages I received back from my two complaints

"The web page inthemix.com.au: australian dance music | news | reviews | photos | forums | chat | what's on for which you requested a review cannot be unblocked as it is from a category to which access has been denied from the computer you are using.
If you have any queries, you are advised to contact your filtering service administrator or the person who purchased the product.
Kind regards,
Customer Care Center
Optenet"

And exactly the same for gaycities. Now, the latter is obviously on the "Gay" category which is a real scandal to be routinely blocked. But inthemix? What blocked category is that supposed to be- "music" maybe or "events"?

Looks almost to me as if no one even bothers checking if someone complains...

 

[drewbles]

These are the messages I received back from my two complaints

"The web page inthemix.com.au: australian dance music | news | reviews | photos | forums | chat | what's on for which you requested a review cannot be unblocked as it is from a category to which access has been denied from the computer you are using.
If you have any queries, you are advised to contact your filtering service administrator or the person who purchased the product.
Kind regards,
Customer Care Center
Optenet"

And exactly the same for gaycities. Now, the latter is obviously on the "Gay" category which is a real scandal to be routinely blocked. But inthemix? What blocked category is that supposed to be- "music" maybe or "events"?

Looks almost to me as if no one even bothers checking if someone complains...

I've had some sites unblocked, but very few. I've also had the same response as you above. It's a joke. I wonder if a polite message to someone in QF may be able to resolve this rather than Optus? I'm not sure who's to blame for the censorship here.

 

[userlame]

I'm not sure how this is discriminatory behaviour. I'm straight and I can't get to the Gaycities website either.

 

[Berlin]

I wonder if a polite message to someone in QF may be able to resolve this rather than Optus? I'm not sure who's to blame for the censorship here.

Any suggestions who to contact at QF? A simple complaint will most likely just end up in the nirvana of customer complains and I think this issue is too serious for that.

 

[Simo]

I just use my own Internet connection.

And it's quicker

 

[drewbles]

I just use my own Internet connection.

And it's quicker

Unless you have Telstra LTE 4G, it's not going to be faster. The Optus wifi is actually a very respectable speed (probably cause all they let you read is political news sites ).