Peacefire Releases Program
to Disable Internet Filters
In anticipation of federal mandates for Web filters on school and public-library computers, the antifiltering group Peacefire is offering software that disables seven of the major censorware programs. Available as a free download from the Peacefire Web site, the software—called simply Peacefire—is said to bypass SurfWatch, Cyber Patrol, CYBERsitter, Net Nanny, X-Stop, PureSight, and Cyber Snoop.
Peacefire cofounder Bennett Haselton said in the online CNET News.com December 18 that the program is a consolidation of several applications that have been available for months. He warned that it only works under Windows 98 and can only disable filters on a standalone computer, not those on a network.
Net Nanny spokeswoman Nika Herford told CNET that Peacefire’s effort would damage its own cause. “The more they do this type of stuff, the more it gives you impetus to legislate,” she said.
Haselton countered, “The government has the impetus to legislate regardless of what we do.”
Posted December 25, 2000.
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