Virgin Media Archives

How to bypass the Virgin Media web filter to access Pirate Bay

Before you start reading this post, and many thousands have, take a look at Broadbandrating – if you are looking to move ISP then the site will help you choose which one to go for.

Now the post:

Industry colleague Gary Hough left a comment on my blog post on Pirate Bay the other day. He has now written a guest post (tagged on to the end of this one) outlining how easy it is to bypass web filters to access “blocked” sites. I asked myself whether this was a responsible thing to publish. After all it flies in the face of the process of Law and Order and I am not in favour of promoting unlawful activity.

However the process described below is such common knowledge¹ and there are so many sites out there providing proxy services used by millions of people that I feel that the story needs to be told in an environment/on a vehicle that promotes sensible discussion of the issue. We certainly need those in places of power to have the opportunity to read about and properly understand the problem.

The issue is not just Pirate Bay or any other site promoting the music downloads that have engendered such emotion within the Rights Holder industries. The issue is the fact that the same process can be used to bypass any web filter. This means that were we to enforce blocking of other types of website – pornography, for example, or sites promoting racial hatred or extreme political views the blocks would be ineffective.

Moreover in encouraging the move underground,

Iam pleased to announce sponsorship of the first Digital Dales Colloquium of 2010. Entitled “Making the Final Third Happen”, the meeting will take place at Timico’s Newark Headquarters on Friday February 26th.

Digital Dales events are key get-togethers for stakeholders in rural community broadband projects. They attract a wide range of participants including MPs, the media (including the BBC), equipment vendors, service providers, local authorities, community leaders and of course end users.

With the Digital Economy Bill currently very much in the news, and a March 1st meeting scheduled between the Broadband Stakeholders Group and the Valuation Office Agency to discuss Property Tax this February meeting is very timely. Rates on fibre connections are seen as a major obstacle to making rural broadband an economic proposition.

Also on the agenda will be a progress report on the FTTC Virgin Media trials in Cornwall, an overview of ongoing projects in the USA, a proposal by Dr Charles Trotman of the Countryside Landowners Association on collaborative approaches to the Rural Broadband problem, and feedback from Lindsey Annison on innovative funding options.

The sponsorship of the Digital Dales Colloquium is very much part of Timico as a service provider living up to our social responsibility. No one organisation is going to solve the problem of the “Digital Divide” but if we can all make a contribution then it will make a difference.

Check out more details on the Colloquium including how to sign up here.