TSA Reverses "Controversial Opinion" Web Policy

By: Pia Malbran
Topics: News

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reversed itself today, announcing that it will no longer block TSA employees, using work computers, from accessing websites that contain a "controversial opinion."

As CBS News first reported, the TSA on Friday informed its employees that five categories of websites would be off-limits because they were deemed "inappropriate for government access."

Those categories were: "Chat/Messaging," "Criminal activity," "Extreme violence (including cartoon violence) and gruesome content," "Gaming," and any websites that contained a "Controversial Opinion."

Blog: TSA to Block "Controversial Opinion" on the Web

Blog: TSA Responds to Web Blocking Memo

Sources who spoke with CBS News were puzzled as to why the federal agency would block websites that contain controversial opinions and questioned whether the move would violate First Amendment rights and the freedom to access information.

At about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, the TSA sent out another memo to its employees explaining that the category of "controversial opinion" was "an IT software catch-all phrase used to describe sites that may violate TSA's acceptable use policy, such as sites that promote destructive behavior to one's self or others."

The memo went on to say that "after further review, TSA determined this category may contain some sites that do not violate TSA's policy and therefore has concluded that the category is no longer being considered for implementation." The TSA also emphasized that it encourages the "sharing [of] ideas and opinions."

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by Nicollepetersen October 4, 2010 12:34 PM EDT: Ive been using http://www.timedoctor.com/2 .
It uses a better procedure than blocking social media sites because it only monitors websites during production hours. People/Employees still have the option to use it for a breather or during breaks really . Sometimes they use it for work too .

For me its really unnecessary to block websites.; Reply to this comment


by bobnjersey July 8, 2010 1:09 PM EDT: [The TSA also emphasized that it encourages the "sharing [of] ideas and opinions."]

yea ... as long as they align w/ what the current dogma is.; Reply to this comment


by johnjmccarthy July 8, 2010 12:08 PM EDT: Do ya think TSA or the Vaterland Security Department were thinking of these pages from this site?

http://johnmccarthy90066.tripod.com/id1.html

http://johnmccarthy90066.tripod.com/id48.html

http://johnmccarthy90066.tripod.com/id258.html; Reply to this comment

by clarifyit July 7, 2010 5:08 PM EDT

Why are porn sites not blocked? This is pitiful as they are directly addressing this issue of web sites to be censored. We demand an answer and for porn sites to be blocked from every government computer. It serves ZERO purpose at any worksite.

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by bobnjersey July 8, 2010 1:24 PM EDT: [It serves ZERO purpose at any worksite.]

so do half the policies and procedures implemented and enforced by most companies. does this mean now that anything that can't show 'purpose' should be discontinued ... including the employment of individuals themselves?

by DoesItEverEnd July 7, 2010 11:03 AM EDT

Funny how the Drudge link to this story now goes to the Washington Times, instead of here! I wonder why?

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by bobnjersey July 8, 2010 1:27 PM EDT: [Funny how the Drudge link to this story now goes to the Washington Times, instead of here! I wonder why?]

that's due to the drudge followers experiencing seizures when they are exposed to anything counter to their current ... and carefully engineered ... belief.


by 3b2u July 7, 2010 10:45 AM EDT: Who cares! I can still surf for porn....; Reply to this comment


by johnholladay July 7, 2010 10:38 AM EDT: This is a sign of poor leadership. Big Sis does this often. I think keeping her people of certain internet sites was the right thing - unless it is their job they should not be in chat rooms nor game rooms etc.

But she can't make up her mind. Holder has turned DOJ into a racial profiling mess and Big Sis can't lead and is just wrong - thanks Obama; Reply to this comment

by dencal26 July 7, 2010 10:33 AM EDT

Napolitano is dangerous to the freedom and liberty so many have died to protect and defend. This was not her first attempt to limit liberty. She even once said returning soldiers would be profiled as possible terrorists. When will this Obama nightmare end>?

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by bobnjersey July 8, 2010 1:29 PM EDT: [When will this Obama nightmare end>?]

it's never going to end ... you might as well end it yourself ... it will be easier that way.


by l2centsworth July 7, 2010 10:24 AM EDT: Guess they realized that all of "controversial" topics would silence their own talking points and block out their own advocates. Don't these people think ANYTHING through before they speak? It seems every one of them has to "walk back" something every time! EVERY TIME.

IDIOTS ALL.; Reply to this comment

by ktappe--2008 July 7, 2010 4:31 AM EDT

Wow, all the looney tunes from Drudge came on over, didn't they? Nothing about this article in any way implicated the MSM on not doing its job. On the contrary, CBS questioned something the government was doing and in so doing got it changed. They were doing exactly what you're critiquing them for, you nutcases!

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by mlorrey July 7, 2010 6:23 AM EDT: Firstly CBS didn't break this story, you drone. Its been in the blogosphere from the get go, CBS only picked it up because it got a lot of play in the blogs first.
Secondly, CBS has tolerated the TSA's thuggish behavior for the past 8 years: cavity searching 98 year old grandmothers while letting burkha clad muslims through without a search, putting law abiding political activists they don't like on the no-fly list just to cause them problems travelling around the country, etc etc. meanwhile Inspector General investigations show the TSA is no better at catching weapons and bombs getting through screening than the private rentacops were before 9/11.


by America1styouidiots July 7, 2010 10:34 AM EDT: Eat $hit Doushebag


by bobnjersey July 8, 2010 1:22 PM EDT: [Secondly, CBS has tolerated the TSA's thuggish behavior for the past 8 years: cavity searching 98 year old grandmothers while letting burkha clad muslims through without a search, putting law abiding political activists they don't like on the no-fly list just to cause them problems travelling around the country, etc etc.]

can you outline exactly who is 'not tolerating' this behavior ... and doing something about it to change it? the tsa was not created by liberals ... or the msm ... or cbs ... so why are you railing against cbs for not doing what you think they should be doing?