Home Gaming League of Legends patches bugged by UK porn filter

League of Legends patches bugged by UK porn filter

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LOLblocked

According to the League of Legends subreddit, some UK players have had their patcher for LoL bugged by the porn filter due to coincidental file names having the word ‘sex’ in them. User LoLBoompje has outlined the probably cause of the problem, but remarks that it’s unlikely to affect existing customers of ISP’s who have only just implemented the porn filter for new customers.

“If your patcher logs show many lines like this:

RADS::Common::HTTPConnection::GetFile: File not found

And that happens with files with a name similar to this:

VarusExpirationTimer.luaobj

XerathMageChainsExtended.luaobj

The cause is that your provider is blocking any URLs that contain any pornographic content. Apparently that includes cases like this. An other cause are Router protection settings, which may also block the word sex.

If you are experiencing this problem, you can try to get the whole LoL folder zipped from a friend every time you patch, or just call your ISP to lift the blockade.

Edit: This should only happen to people who switch or signup with new ISPs after a certain date (I’m assuming 1st Jan). The filter won’t be on by default to any existing customers, at least it won’t on BT, so most people will be unaffected. If the filter is on, all it takes is a call to your ISP and it’s off. (thanks to /u/mejti )

Edit2: Read this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/29/uk-internet-filter-block-more-than-porn_n_3670771.html

The Huffington post article LoLBoomje linked to explains that the filter is responsible for blocking more than just pornography. By default it blocks any references to smoking or alcohol, terrorism or extremist viewpoints, anorexia and eating disorder websites and references to suicide. considering that it picked up file names in a LoL patch, we can assume that it’s blocking any and all references.

So obviously this is an absolute joke, but luckily the filter isn’t mandatory and can be opted out of, which I would recommend. Not only does it happen to cause problems with online games and the like, but censorship is never the answer. Just be a proactive parent and actually monitor your children’s usage of the internet without having to block any and all references to reality. Not only that, but I’d imagine a lot of support and educational websites would also be blocked. Unfortunately, according to Open Rights Group Executive Director Jim Killock, making the filter default makes it more likely that people will stick with the default. The LoL patcher being blocked is the perfect example of a poorly design and implemented filter. We can only hope that it doesn’t become mandatory.

Last Updated: January 20, 2014

15 Comments

  1. I guess that’s one way of blocking the d**ks who play LoL

    #trollol

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Vegas

      January 20, 2014 at 10:56

      hahahaha

      Reply

    • General JJ PanGirl

      January 20, 2014 at 10:57

      LOL

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Vegas

        January 20, 2014 at 11:26

        Hehe, PanGirl

        Reply

        • General JJ PanGirl

          January 20, 2014 at 11:32

          Don’t anyone forget that.

          Reply

    • Ottokie

      January 20, 2014 at 11:06

      You win the internet for that comment!

      Reply

  2. TiMsTeR1033

    January 20, 2014 at 10:42

    That filter is HARDCORE! Excuse the Pun!

    Reply

  3. Alien Emperor Trevor

    January 20, 2014 at 10:48

    Hooray for censorship for your own good because you can’t be trusted to make your own decisions or access information. Oh right I forgot, it’s FOR THE CHILDREN!

    Reply

    • General JJ PanGirl

      January 20, 2014 at 11:00

      It’s not for the children. It’s for health reasons. Same as anti-smoking. Only this is for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        January 20, 2014 at 11:02

        Gaming isn’t how I got Carp.. um… Yes.

        Reply

    • SheHulkNigri

      January 20, 2014 at 11:00

      And the funny thing is, the children will be pros in circumventing this thing…

      Reply

  4. Unavengedavo

    January 20, 2014 at 11:17

    Lol, the header reminds me of the good old days when you still had to wait for a picture to load properly and it was all pixelated. At least now I know where my fetish for pixelated porn comes from O_o

    Reply

    • VampyricSquirrel Monk

      January 20, 2014 at 11:41

      That’s an… interesting… fetish you have there O.o

      Reply

    • General JJ PanGirl

      January 20, 2014 at 11:59

      Wow. The classic games on Steam will be like porn central for you.

      Reply

  5. MichaelMatusowsky

    January 20, 2014 at 23:27

    Silly that the UK ISP’s opted for an “Opt out” system rather than an “opt in”. Those poor nerds having to call in for their porn.

    Reply

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