Hotels Using WiFi to Block and Censor

Anyone that has read my Blueprint books knows that I have a website and a couple of telephone numbers that I have used extensively in research. I've been working on my other book concerning the wireless network blocking that began as PBX blocking so many years ago. For me the line block phenomena began back in 1992 when I opened my businesses in Orlando, though I've heard that it was already transpiring at that point.

This is more about how the blockers are going about it today. I included a chapter in Memoirs of an Accused Madam entitled "The Experiment" and referred to IP blocking as a method of blocking websites at that point in time, but this is about URL filtering and other tools and it is happening at all sizeable resorts in the Orlando area and all resorts in Disney World.

As a guest at one of theses hotels this should really bother you. Your hotel censors the internet for you, but sure doesn't admit to it. I know that my research website contains no porn or nudity type of content; it is a conservative website from any standpoint. Unless you appreciate book burnings this should be appalling to you, but wait till you read what they do with it.

There are numerous methods that hotel management utilizes in the quest to censor your internet, and several are too simple for comfort. McAfee makes URL filtering software called Webwasher URL Filter and brags of 64 categories that can be enabled, depending on your censorship needs. They state: "Undesired content of any kind can be managed within the categories of the filter database."

Another big hit with the hotels theses days is Antamedia HotSpot. As most people are aware, most smart phones on the market have WiFi connectivity. Since most potential clients are searching for information online with a smart phone, a netbook, or a laptop, all of this is great news to the censors at Orlando area resorts. Most likely this is occurring elsewhere also, though I only know for sure about issues in Las Vegas at this point.

Antamedia HotSpot enables the hotel to become the Internet Service Provider (ISP) for guests and others desiring access within a specified range. The software includes a feature that allows for forced customer data collection that can be used for collecting records or for marketing purposes. The software also has features such as website blocking that can redirect all blocked websites to the host's home page. URL tracking is another added feature – the hotel can log URL addresses that customers visit, along with their username, IP, MAC, and date and time when page was visited.

The most useful Antamedia HotSpot censorship tool is the ability to block access to websites that contain specified keywords in URL address, say for example, the term "escort". Of course this can be used with any specified keywords though. They also have a tool that can specify keywords which redirect the customer browser to another URL. They state: "For example, when customer enters competition brand name, browser will be redirected to your website."

Obviously search engines like Google index content with keywords, so all of this is bad news for restaurants, pizza places, transportation companies, taxi drivers, and who knows what else that is competing with hotels for guests' money. One thing about Disney is that they want guests to spend all money on the property, so imagine how this is probably being used to interrupt other local business.

The funny thing about censorship is that it sure doesn't stop at "escort services," and more likely that the "escorts" keyword was only the first of many URL filters. I used to speak with taxi and limousine drivers that were in business for themselves and had similar experiences to my own. Disney resorts only utilize one transportation company: Mears. As long as I can remember they've done their best to keep any other operating companies off property unless dropping off guests. Smaller pizza places have periodically reported similar troubles.

When big business is allowed to censor and block small business an open economy is severely diminished. It has gone far beyond playing Net Nanny. I may just pursue my legal options on this problem. It sure ain't legal!