New Zealand McDee's blocks Gay website - sign of things to come?

Biggins · 12-01-2011 11:30AM #1

A strange and unusual situation from New Zealand.
What's worrying, is it a way of thinking that other companies might follow?

The English Times today:

McDonald’s New Zealand condemned over wi-fi gay site blocks

It seems that in New Zealand gay lifestyles do not fit in with McDonald’s idea of family friendly, with the fast food chain under fire from gay groups in the island nation for blocking their websites on its wi-fi network.

McDonald’s New Zealand said that it was reviewing its internet access policies after gay groups complained that their content was being censored in its 132 restaurants nationwide.

The review came after the website GayNZ.com published an open letter to McDonald’s saying that its site and others offering advice and resources to the gay community had been barred.

Rainbow Youth, a support group for gay youth, was also blocked but a New Zealand Aids Foundation site was not.

The company said that it barred gambling, tobacco and adult websites from its wi-fi service because it was a family restaurant and all content needed to be suitable for children.

They said this extended to sites where clicking on links and third party advertisements could provide access to sexually explicit material.

The fast food giant said that it would review the situation on a case-by-case basis if it was felt there was any content unjustifiably blocked and that it used standard filtering software and did not discriminate against any particular communities.

Mark Hawthorn, McDonald’s managing director, said standard filtering software was used and there was no discrimination against any communities.

“There are millions and millions of websites from around the world and some sites with the word gay have got through and some haven’t, which shows it’s nothing to do with the gay community,” he said.
“There will be some sites that are actually available that shouldn’t be and some that should be that aren’t and we will be relying on our customers to tell us which ones we need to look at.”
However, all links and advertisements must also be acceptable, he said.

Tom Hamilton, Rainbow Youth’s executive director, said however there was no inappropriate content on the organisation’s website. “Obviously there is a flaw in their approach, websites like Rainbow Youth are not of any danger to young people.

“It is for young people to make informed decisions for themselves and the culture they are involved in,” he told Radio New Zealand.
There appeared to be no consistency in the company’s policy, GayNZ.com added.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/australia-newzealand/article2870203.ece

Is this a step too far in blocking and censorship? Are McDonalds trying to justify their censorship by using adverts as a convenient excuse.
I'd be interested to hear what others think. I'm unsure about this one myself.

Orion · 12-01-2011 11:32AM

People who feed their kids McDonald's $hite probably wouldn't care if they saw gay pron.

prinz · 12-01-2011 11:33AM

Biggins wrote: »

Is this a step too far in blocking and censorship? Are McDonalds trying to justify their censorship by using adverts as a convenient excuse.
I'd be interested to hear what others think. I'm unsure about this one myself.

No. If they are providing the wi-fi they should have the right to block what they want. Don't like it? Go somewhere else. Well done McD's tbh.

Jesus Wept · 12-01-2011 11:33AM

Sounds fair enough.
They've blocked sites that have ads for adults sites.

I'm sure they have banend lots of 'hetrosexual' sites too.

It clearly in their business interests to not have people watching youjizz while eating their chicken nuggets.

FatherLen · 12-01-2011 11:35AM

well the only "gay" sites i can think of would be porn and dating/social sites and they could argue that these are not family friendly as you may have to be over 18. oh and face book thats pretty gay too

Duggy747 · 12-01-2011 11:36AM

Sounds to me the site just got thrown in automatically with others sites in McD's proxy. If there's links to more........ahem.......adult stuff then I don't see a problem.

You'd see the same on bog standard filtering software in companies and organisations where some websites are blocked for obvious reasons while others that shouldn't be are.

Categorising failure.

starbelgrade · 12-01-2011 11:37AM

Gives a new meaning to the phrase "Cock Blocking".

Links234 · 12-01-2011 11:39AM

The-Rigger wrote: »

It clearly in their business interests to not have people watching youjizz while eating their chicken nuggets.

do you think that all gay websites are porn sites?

Biggins · 12-01-2011 11:40AM

Fair enough, some good points made.

Jesus Wept · 12-01-2011 11:42AM

Links234 wrote: »

do you think that all gay websites are porn sites?

The Rigger wrote:

They've blocked sites that have ads for adults sites.

.

12-01-2011 11:44AM

This seems in direct contradiction to that campaign they launched ages ago in which a father and his gay son are sitting together in one of their restaurants.

Jesus Wept · 12-01-2011 11:45AM

No, it doesn't.

WindSock · 12-01-2011 11:45AM

They should make a gesture and change the name to Gay Meal.

biko · 12-01-2011 11:45AM

I thought "New Zealand McDee's" referred to some politician.

prinz · 12-01-2011 11:45AM

Let's not forget they are blocking gambling, tobacco and adult sites.... it's not some fast-food conspiracy against gay sites only as much as some would like to pretend it is.

chin_grin · 12-01-2011 11:46AM

Links234 wrote: »

do you think that all gay websites are porn sites?

Sure this is the only site on the internet I've found that ISN'T pr0ns! Internet's riddled so it is.

But it's a kind of "careful now" approach. Maybe if they blocked certain content locally on their sites (ads\pop ups [heheheh]\etc) would they come to a mutual agreement?

Cookie_Monster · 12-01-2011 11:46AM

prinz wrote: »

No. If they are providing the wi-fi they should have the right to block what they want. Don't like it? Go somewhere else. Well done McD's tbh.

this pretty much

and anyway blocking all the porn sites is a far more serious crime, why aren't all NZ men out complaining about that one, eh?

Duggy747 · 12-01-2011 11:55AM

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

anyway blocking all the porn sites is a far more serious crime, why aren't all NZ men out complaining about that one, eh?

Exactly, if I were running a fast-food chain with free wi-fi I'd have shortcuts to porn sites...........no **** though, there'd be a terribly sticky mess all over the floors.

starbelgrade · 12-01-2011 11:55AM

And it's Maccy D's, Biggins, Not McDees... McDees sounds like a clothes shop for old ladies (probably more your style!).

Links234 · 12-01-2011 12:00PM

The-Rigger wrote: »

.

This is one of the sites mentioned in the article that was blocked: http://www.rainbowyouth.org.nz/

Irish Guitarist · 12-01-2011 12:03PM

McDonalds do a lot of things that are worrying. This isn't one of those things.

I saw a video the other day where a comedian said that people were taking everything for granted. It was largely unfunny but he made a good point. He said that he was sitting on a plane with internet access and the internet cut out for a minute. The man sitting beside him with a laptop said "this is bullsh1t!" whereas he should have been glad he was sitting in a chair in the sky using the internet.

I think this is similar in a way. A couple of years ago you couldn't have gotten internet access in McDonalds; now instead of being grateful people are whinging about rights. Seriously, is it that big a deal to wait until you go home to access a website?

AnonoBoy · 12-01-2011 12:06PM

Who goes to McDonald's to look at porn sites?

starbelgrade · 12-01-2011 12:08PM

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

Seriously, is it that big a deal to wait until you go home to access a website?

If adults want to whip out their todgers & crack one off under the table at a family restaurant whilst watching porn, I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to do so.

It's all about "protecting the children" these days.

Shower of immature little pricks.

Duggy747 · 12-01-2011 12:08PM

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Who goes to McDonald's to look at porn sites?

*raises hand*

AnonoBoy · 12-01-2011 12:09PM

Duggy747 wrote: »

*raises hand*

*shakes head slowly*

prinz · 12-01-2011 12:11PM

Links234 wrote: »

This is one of the sites mentioned in the article that was blocked: http://www.rainbowyouth.org.nz/

Why don't you link one of the gambling or tobacco sites now? Oh wait... yeah no point in mentioning those.

Gunsfortoys · 12-01-2011 12:14PM

Kids shouldn't be allowed to eat in McDonalds anyway.

Doop · 12-01-2011 12:17PM

In fairness McDonalds didnt set out to exclude anyone, its not as if someone said oh yeah now we're setting up wi-fi we must block all the gay sites, was done automatically and now they're willing to look at sites on a case by case basis... dont see a problem here really.

FatherLen wrote: »

well the only "gay" sites i can think of would be porn and dating/social sites and they could argue that these are not family friendly as you may have to be over 18. oh and face book thats pretty gay too

Possibly the stupidest post ive read in a while congrats to you :rolleyes:

MagicSean · 12-01-2011 12:22PM

3 and vodafone do the same thing over here. My mate was gutted when he got his new iPhone and couldn't get porn on it.

General Zod · 12-01-2011 12:35PM

you have to ask for the restrictions to be lifted ^^

Regarding the OP, McDonalds is a private company and as such has every right to block whatever it wants, just as consumers have the right not to use the facilities of such a company if it engages in such a practice.

Not very hard to understand, guys.

bonerm · 12-01-2011 12:38PM

Should have gone next door to Bugger King.

New Zealand McDee's blocks Gay website - sign of things to come?

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