AVS Forum is a Porn Site?

Thank goodness I have "administrator priveledges" on this particular computer, or I wouldn't be writing this.

I was unable to access the site last week, on a computer at work that is shared by others, because our new filtering service "WebSense" says that AVSForum.com is a "SEX SITE".

I figured it was just a fluke with their listings.

Then, while waiting for my car to be serviced on Thursday, I tried to show someone my favorite site for info on Digital TV, by bringing up AVS Forum on the dealership's "courtesy" computer. Their filter, in huge letters for all to see, proclaimed I was attempting to "ACCESS PORNOGRAPHY".

So, is AVS Forum being banned from schools, public libraries, and publicly-accessible computers, as well as the workplace?

Why?

I'll have to check with our IT guys. The one here at work also seems to flag trade journals....maybe it's those "mating" connectors?

I don't know how they select the "good" and the "bad", but, here's their submission form:

http://url.fortinet.net/rate/submit.php

Got this e-mail back this morning:

"Dear Fortinet customer,

The websites you submitted recently have been reviewed and updated:

Submission Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2007 13:31:57 -0800
URL: http://avsforum.com/
Suggested Category:
Comment: Why is this site filtered? There is nothing wrong with it, yet it is labelled Pornographic by your server. It is a site for information on video and audio technology, and one of the best sites available for info on the US transition to HDTV and Digital
URL Rated: http://avsforum.com
Analyst Comment:
Updated Category: Internet Communication
Update Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2007 16:36:50 -0800


The rating update may not be effective immediately on your network
because of the Web filtering cache. If you would like to have
the update effective immediately or have any other questions,
please contact your network administrator.

Note that FortiGuard Web Filtering Service categorizes websites, but it
is your IT manager who decides what categories to block or allow. Please
contact your IT manager to allow you to visit the site.

This is an automatically generated notification of rating update.
Please do not reply to this email.

Thank you for using FortiGuard Web Filtering Service.

Regards,

FortiGuard Web Filtering Service
Fortinet Technologies Inc."

Wouldn't a search like that also come up with Family Research Council, MAD Dads, and others, who rant about porn?

I think that these sites (I know one of them said so) have a server for "ratings", and your firewall blocks certain levels.

The computer at work had a setting for everything from "block sites with adult content" to "block sites that might hurt a person's feelings".

Thank you for writing to Websense.

The site you submitted has been reviewed. We have made an update to the following URL(s) in our master database to address this issue:

http://www.avsforum.com/ - Message Boards and Clubs



Categorization updates should be available in the next scheduled publication of the database. A new database is published every business day, five days a week, Pacific Standard Time. You should notice any updates referred to in this message within 72 hours.

Thank you for your assistance,

The Websense Database Services Staff
S.G.
Monday, February 12, 2007 6:07:28 AM



-------------------Original Email---------------------------------------
From: ken.english@ksl.com
Sent: 2/10/2007 5:39:37 AM
To: Websense DB Update
Subject: Suggest a Change to the Websense URL Database
Name: Ken W. English
Company: KSL-TV
Email: ken.english@ksl.com
Phone:
Websense Version:
DB Version:

URL 1: http://www.avsforum.com
Action 1:
Recommended Category 1: Should not be categorized
Current Category 1: Adult Material: Sex
Reason 1: This site is the most informative forum I know of, for audio and video systems and equipment. It is used by many hundreds of thousands of people around the world for informational purposes, and is the premiere site for info on the US transition to digital and HDTV. It is not a sex site.