Virgin Media users blocked from accessing FileServe

Aside from work and for communications, many users now log on to the Internet to get their fill of online entertainment. Streaming movies and television shows online is convenient because it lets viewers watch their favourite films and choice shows, anytime and anywhere they’d want to. Aside from streaming, other users also turn to the Internet to fill their gaming needs by accessing online gaming services such as OnLive.

The most convenient thing about accessing media on the Internet is because it’s usually downloadable. This way, you can just download files and view or access them later on when you have time. There are many downloading services available, one of these being file sharing websites that allow users to upload files, share links, and have other users download these files. But these sites aren’t just for hosting media files (that are originally yours, because as well all know, it’s illegal to distribute media that isn’t created by you.) In fact, many users use these as Cyber Lockers to keep their documents, business files, photos, and other files as backups.

Recently, though, Virgin Media broadband subscribers had difficulty accessing file sharing site FileServe as the network was apparently blocked. The block was result of the Internet Watch Foundation blacklisting a single FileServe URL.

A spokesperson from Virgin Media stated: “Customers may have experienced problems accessing FileServe as a result of a specific URL being on the IWF [Internet Watch Foundation] watchlist. We’ve spoken to the IWF and FileServe to resolve the issue, and our customers should now have full access again.”

Although the block has been cleared up, many users were still inconvenienced because of the matter.The issue was made apparent when a user with the screen name “SandyB” posted on Virgin Media’s forum regarding the matter, saying: “I know the majority don’t use these one-click file-hosting sites legitimately, but I do, and it’s currently interfering with my work.”

It was found that because of the block, Virgin Media users who tried to access the site would be met with a splash screen that read: “The IWF has recently implemented changes that may affect your download ability on the site.”

The matter was explained fully by forum manager Mark Wilkin. He said that the reason for the block was because the IWF had added a FileServe URL to its blacklist, which was a link that contained child abuse content. Wilkin wrote: “We’ve contacted the IWF, and they’re confirmed [sic] that FileServe.com is not on their watchlist, but that a specific URL on FileServe is. They’ve temporarily removed that URL from the watchlist and are currently attempting to contact FileServe about the claims they’ve made… to try and resolve this. The updated watchlist was published at 6pm today so it should already be having an effect.”

Source – ZDNet