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Why spam filters read obscene for clean | Why spam filters read obscene for clean |
(about 2 hours later) | |
By Jude Sheerin BBC News Beaver: A semi-aquatic rodent, but also a vulgar slang term | By Jude Sheerin BBC News Beaver: A semi-aquatic rodent, but also a vulgar slang term |
After 90 years, one of Canada's oldest magazines, The Beaver, is changing its name. | After 90 years, one of Canada's oldest magazines, The Beaver, is changing its name. |
Its publishers say it was only natural that a Canadian history journal should have been named in honour of the industrious dam-building creature which is the country's national emblem. | Its publishers say it was only natural that a Canadian history journal should have been named in honour of the industrious dam-building creature which is the country's national emblem. |
But in recent times the magazine's attempts to reach a new online audience kept falling foul of spam filters - particularly in schools - because beaver is also a slang term for female genitalia. | But in recent times the magazine's attempts to reach a new online audience kept falling foul of spam filters - particularly in schools - because beaver is also a slang term for female genitalia. |
The publishers of the magazine - now to be known as Canada's History - also noticed that most of the 30,000 or so visitors to their website per month stayed for less than 10 seconds. | The publishers of the magazine - now to be known as Canada's History - also noticed that most of the 30,000 or so visitors to their website per month stayed for less than 10 seconds. |
Scunthorpe problem | Scunthorpe problem |
And they suspect that learning about the trade in beaver fur which built Canada's early economic fortunes was not what they were interested in. | And they suspect that learning about the trade in beaver fur which built Canada's early economic fortunes was not what they were interested in. |
WHEN SPAM FILTERS GO ROGUE In 2004, the Horniman Museum in London failed to receive e-mails as filters thought its name was a version of "horny man"A history website for children, RomansInSussex, was blocked due to the substring "sex"Filters have trashed e-mails with the word "socialist"; substring "Cialis" is erectile dysfunction drugHarmless e-mails promoting the pantomime Dick Whittington have been shot down by filtersE-mails to councils objecting to planning applications rejected for having the word "erection" | WHEN SPAM FILTERS GO ROGUE In 2004, the Horniman Museum in London failed to receive e-mails as filters thought its name was a version of "horny man"A history website for children, RomansInSussex, was blocked due to the substring "sex"Filters have trashed e-mails with the word "socialist"; substring "Cialis" is erectile dysfunction drugHarmless e-mails promoting the pantomime Dick Whittington have been shot down by filtersE-mails to councils objecting to planning applications rejected for having the word "erection" |
Deborah Morrison, publisher of the Winnipeg-based journal, told the BBC News website: "Back in 1920, The Beaver was a perfectly appropriate name. | Deborah Morrison, publisher of the Winnipeg-based journal, told the BBC News website: "Back in 1920, The Beaver was a perfectly appropriate name. |
"And while its other meaning is nothing new, its ambiguity began to pose a whole new challenge with the advance of the internet. The name became an impediment to our growth." | "And while its other meaning is nothing new, its ambiguity began to pose a whole new challenge with the advance of the internet. The name became an impediment to our growth." |
Similar concerns in part prompted Beaver College in the US state of Pennsylvania to change its name in 2001. | Similar concerns in part prompted Beaver College in the US state of Pennsylvania to change its name in 2001. |
The blocking of harmless websites or e-mails by trigger-happy filters is nothing new. | The blocking of harmless websites or e-mails by trigger-happy filters is nothing new. |
In 1996, residents in the British town of Scunthorpe were initially banned from registering with internet service provider AOL because the town's name contained an obscenity. | In 1996, residents in the British town of Scunthorpe were initially banned from registering with internet service provider AOL because the town's name contained an obscenity. |
This became known as the Scunthorpe problem. | This became known as the Scunthorpe problem. |
Cyber prudery | Cyber prudery |
Elsewhere in England, residents of the South Yorkshire town of Penistone and Lightwater in Surrey had the same trouble. | Elsewhere in England, residents of the South Yorkshire town of Penistone and Lightwater in Surrey had the same trouble. |
The talent of quickly inferring humans' message intent is very hard to automate Christian KreibichInternational Computer Science Institute | The talent of quickly inferring humans' message intent is very hard to automate Christian KreibichInternational Computer Science Institute |
Such ham-fisted cyber prudery might have been forgivable in the internet's infancy. | Such ham-fisted cyber prudery might have been forgivable in the internet's infancy. |
But why are some filters still apparently unable to distinguish between clean and dirty content? | But why are some filters still apparently unable to distinguish between clean and dirty content? |
Are their chastity belts fastened too tight? | Are their chastity belts fastened too tight? |
The problem, technology experts say, is that with a worldwide web awash with filth, broad blocking rules often result in a false positive, meaning innocent content is binned just to be on the safe side. | The problem, technology experts say, is that with a worldwide web awash with filth, broad blocking rules often result in a false positive, meaning innocent content is binned just to be on the safe side. |
Furthermore, distinguishing the e-mail sheep from the goats can be a tricky business, especially given the intensity of the so-called "arms race" between the filters and the spammers. | Furthermore, distinguishing the e-mail sheep from the goats can be a tricky business, especially given the intensity of the so-called "arms race" between the filters and the spammers. |
The spammers develop ever-more sophisticated techniques for slam-dunking our inboxes with ads extolling the benefits of manhood enlargements, pornography and virility pills, among other things. | The spammers develop ever-more sophisticated techniques for slam-dunking our inboxes with ads extolling the benefits of manhood enlargements, pornography and virility pills, among other things. |
Clbuttic mistake | Clbuttic mistake |
Then the spam filter engineers have to hit back by creating smarter deterrents, in a perpetual game of cat and mouse. | Then the spam filter engineers have to hit back by creating smarter deterrents, in a perpetual game of cat and mouse. |
US sprinter Tyson Gay was the subject of a disastrous filtering error | US sprinter Tyson Gay was the subject of a disastrous filtering error |
Christian Kreibich, from the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, California, says: "The talent of quickly inferring message intent that humans have is very hard to automate. | Christian Kreibich, from the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, California, says: "The talent of quickly inferring message intent that humans have is very hard to automate. |
"You can try to parse the language, but you'll find a lot of it is unfortunately deliberately misleading or broken, for example, with entirely unrelated passages from the latest Dan Brown novel." | "You can try to parse the language, but you'll find a lot of it is unfortunately deliberately misleading or broken, for example, with entirely unrelated passages from the latest Dan Brown novel." |
The research scientist adds: "The filtering systems are - all in all - working rather well, but of course, individual users don't realise this when a few slip through into their inboxes yet again." | The research scientist adds: "The filtering systems are - all in all - working rather well, but of course, individual users don't realise this when a few slip through into their inboxes yet again." |
In a farcical sequel to the Scunthorpe problem, some filters have been known to act like rogue spell checkers, replacing "rude" words with what they deem to be more acceptable variants. | In a farcical sequel to the Scunthorpe problem, some filters have been known to act like rogue spell checkers, replacing "rude" words with what they deem to be more acceptable variants. |
"Butt" replaces "ass", "breast" is substituted for "tit", and so on, even within longer words containing the banned letter combinations. | "Butt" replaces "ass", "breast" is substituted for "tit", and so on, even within longer words containing the banned letter combinations. |
This is known as the "clbuttic mistake", because classic is edited as clbuttic, passport becomes pbuttport, and so on. | This is known as the "clbuttic mistake", because classic is edited as clbuttic, passport becomes pbuttport, and so on. |
Spam tsunami | Spam tsunami |
In 2008, a news website run by the American Family Association censored an Associated Press article on the sprinter Tyson Gay. | In 2008, a news website run by the American Family Association censored an Associated Press article on the sprinter Tyson Gay. |
Up to 400bn spam e-mails a day would deluge us without filters, says Cisco | Up to 400bn spam e-mails a day would deluge us without filters, says Cisco |
A filter decided that "gay" was an offensive word, which should be replaced with "homosexual". | A filter decided that "gay" was an offensive word, which should be replaced with "homosexual". |
The resulting article began with the memorable headline: "Homosexual eases into 100m final at Olympic trials". | The resulting article began with the memorable headline: "Homosexual eases into 100m final at Olympic trials". |
Some believe correcting the glitches that see countless legitimate e-mails automatically jettisoned into the junk is not in the financial interests of spam filterers. | Some believe correcting the glitches that see countless legitimate e-mails automatically jettisoned into the junk is not in the financial interests of spam filterers. |
Bennett Haselton, webmaster for Peace Fire, an organisation supporting free speech for young people on the internet, said: "The main problem is not that filters are dumb. | Bennett Haselton, webmaster for Peace Fire, an organisation supporting free speech for young people on the internet, said: "The main problem is not that filters are dumb. |
"Lots of technology starts out dumb and improves over time. | "Lots of technology starts out dumb and improves over time. |
"The problem here is that there are no marketplace incentives for the filters to improve, because end-users often don't even realise what e-mails they've missed." | "The problem here is that there are no marketplace incentives for the filters to improve, because end-users often don't even realise what e-mails they've missed." |
Not so, according to Henry Stern, Cisco Systems' senior security researcher, who says spam filters are rated by the industry on their ability not to block legitimate e-mails or websites. | Not so, according to Henry Stern, Cisco Systems' senior security researcher, who says spam filters are rated by the industry on their ability not to block legitimate e-mails or websites. |
He says without the blockers, a tsunami of between 250bn and 400bn spam messages a day would deluge our inboxes, crashing computer networks around the world. | He says without the blockers, a tsunami of between 250bn and 400bn spam messages a day would deluge our inboxes, crashing computer networks around the world. |
The spam filter engineer reckons Scunthorpe-related gremlins are largely a thing of the past. | The spam filter engineer reckons Scunthorpe-related gremlins are largely a thing of the past. |
However, at least one e-mail, mentioning the Scunthorpe problem and sent to a university for this article, was zapped by a filter. | However, at least one e-mail, mentioning the Scunthorpe problem and sent to a university for this article, was zapped by a filter. |
And if you try forwarding this piece to a friend at their workplace, don't be too surprised if it doesn't reach its intended recipient. |
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