Blocked Site

[ChristinaK]

Here I am in a major department store, using their WiFi and this site is blocked. Just another sign of how we're not accepted, or thought of as inappropriate. Sigh...

[Jaylyn]

I guess you could go tell the manager and show him what this site is about. I'm sure they didn't mean to since there's nothing really pornographic on here. They probably just don't understand what this particular site is. At least get their opinion of the site then maybe the California girls will know not to support their store. Just a thought.

[Hell on Heels]

Hell-o Christina,
I’ve seen this site blocked while shopping
at our local “Home” store about a year ago.
Since then, apparently they’ve changed their
view, and the site is now accessable.
Much Love,
Kristyn

[RADER]

Some stores block their web site because the prices on the web may not be the ones in the store.
Rader

[Chelsea B]

Most IT departments use a pre populated list of sites provided by the blocking software they use.
They can override and whitelist a site if given requests to do so.
They may not even know they are blocking this site.

[Micki_Finn]

I doubt anyone who works for that store went through and made lists of “no no” websites to block from the store WiFi. More likely they just use some kind of pre-programmed service. Websites can be blocked for many reasons besides content.

[redtea]

It's probably blocked because this website isn't secure. There are too many websites for a company to go through them all so they likely just defaulted to "secured websites only" and then filtered from there.

[Robertacd]

But this website is secure, use https://www.crossdressers.com (https://www.crossdressers.com) for a secure connection.

Chances are the store subscribes to a service like Barracuda web filter like my company does, and this site in on the list.

[Nicole Erin]

Maybe the CEO of the company is someone who is banned from visiting this site so to get even, it is blocked.

For real though, a lot of transgender sites are porno so if they have a list of words disallowed, "crossdresser" is probably on there.

I would be a little embarrassed to tell the manager, "hey, you this site is blocked..."

[Tracii G]

Don't go off on a rampage and make a big scene because you will deff give them a reason to leave it blocked.
It is what it is and they have every right to do what they want its their store.

[Stephanie Michelle]

Why do you go to a major department store and spend that much time there that you have to get online to this site?

[Aunt Kelly]

Discovered a similar blockade while spending time in a local hospital not long ago. Instead of the site I expected, I was greeted with a familiar "If you think this site was blocked in error..." message and the explanation that the site was categorized as something like "sex and sexuality". Clearly, I had set off alarms, because a short time later, some IT dweeb came through the lobby with a laptop bristling with WiFi antennae, obviously look around for the pervert. By this time, I was engrossed in a book on my tablet and barely notices as he slowly trolled the lobby, eyeballing all the phone and table users. Part of me wishes he had id'd the offender and done the "come with me" thing. We'd have had "an issue" for sure then.

[Tracii G]

Some people live on their phone Stephanie.
When I go in a store my phone stays in the car usually. I hate distractions like phone calls.

[Pumped]

Discovered a similar blockade while spending time in a local hospital not long ago. Instead of the site I expected, I was greeted with a familiar "If you think this site was blocked in error..." message and the explanation that the site was categorized as something like "sex and sexuality". Clearly, I had set off alarms, because a short time later, some IT dweeb came through the lobby with a laptop bristling with WiFi antennae, obviously look around for the pervert. By this time, I was engrossed in a book on my tablet and barely notices as he slowly trolled the lobby, eyeballing all the phone and table users. Part of me wishes he had id'd the offender and done the "come with me" thing. We'd have had "an issue" for sure then.

I seriously doubt they were looking for the person looking at a blocked web site. They would have to hire a bunch of people just to chase down the offenders when they can just block the site. Certainly it was just a coincidence that the tech walked through at that time.

[Teresa]

Stephanie,
I did think the same thing , I check out the forum at home but when I shop, I SHOP !!! My phone usually stays in the car if not it's buried somewhere in my handbag .

I would guess not knowing the sytem that some shops might attempt to block a great deal to stop people doing a price comparison , they are there to sell their goods at a profit , so maybe common sense says they block competitors and other sites get blocked in with them .

[Vickie_CDTV]

This has come up before, and in that case the person made a big deal about it.

Stores get filtering systems with pre-loaded block lists from Barracuda or similar. It was probably just on the blacklist for whatever reason, and the store has nothing to do with it. They probably don't care either, so I wouldn't bother with it. If I was stuck in a hospital for days maybe, but for a department store I wouldn't waste my time with it. There is serious liability with having unfettered internet access in a workplace (sexual harassment), they are going to play it as safe as possible and block anything remotely problematic.

[Beverley Sims]

Yes I also realise this has come up before, the solution was to explain to the owners of the hotspot that it was all above board.

[rachel_rachel]

If I've ever tried to use a shopping centre free wifi I'm certainly not looking to come here to be honest.. I find they run too slow anyway because everybody's trying to use it at once.

[Tracii G]

I don't have a browser on my phone because I use it for phone calls and I am a bit leery of using a WiFi connection anyway.

[Aunt Kelly]

I seriously doubt they were looking for the person looking at a blocked web site. They would have to hire a bunch of people just to chase down the offenders when they can just block the site. Certainly it was just a coincidence that the tech walked through at that time.
No. He was hunting. I've done the same thing myself, for less creepy reasons, but I know the tools and the technique.

[Chelsea B]

Why are we even having this conversation? If you want to get access, just turn off the WiFi and go cellular. It’s more secure anyway.

[Krisi]

Here I am in a major department store, using their WiFi and this site is blocked. Just another sign of how we're not accepted, or thought of as inappropriate. Sigh...

It's not a sign of anything and if you are using their WiFi, you should keep in mind that they have the right to control it the way they wish, just like you have the right to control what happens in your own home.

As someone else mentioned, they are probably using third party software to limit what can be accessed through their WiFi. The store hasn't specifically blocked this site.