Semantic Compositions has recently posted his discovery that Language Log is banned by Websense. He learned this when he found that he can't read us at his workplace.
I suppose we owe this to the same earnest literal-mindedness that brings us internet pilgrims googling their way to this post for the phrase "sex pro". But looking over the Websense web site, I don't see any way to request a recount.
I wonder how many other nannyware systems block us? I'd hate to think that we're cut off from the public library users of America, not to speak of the millions looking for a quick shot of linguistics on their lunch break.
Here are some relevant web sites, if you're interested in issues of censorware (and I'm now a bit more interested than I was before): the EFF's censorware page, the censorware project, whitehat's websense page, The Irving Independent School District's websense site (which includes a page to use to suggest a change -- if you're a websense customer).
Posted by Mark Liberman at February 11, 2004 09:34 PM