Websense snooping around again

Forum Moderators: phranque

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Websense snooping around again

What are consequences of blocking it?

grandma genie

4:41 pm on Aug 25, 2010 (gmt 0)

Hello,
Websense is a type of security software businesses use to censor certain websites. It has come under criticism from civil liberties groups on the grounds that it assists repressive regimes to restrict freedom of speech. I have blocked the whole range of IPs, but my site does not contain anything offensive. I sell stuffed animals. So, there is really no reason for them to be snooping around. If I block all their IPs, does that prevent regular folks from accessing my website? I assume if an employee is visiting my site from work, they will be blocked by my actions. Is that true? Or is the IP of the business in question blocked? Just want to know what happens if I block Websense IPs.
Thank you.
Grandma-genie

phranque

8:25 am on Aug 26, 2010 (gmt 0)

i would guess from this recent discussion that blocking the websense spider would classify your site as "unrated".

There is an option to block unrated sites, but that is the most drastic option to select.

http://www.webmasterworld.com/search_engine_spiders/4126197.htm#msg4126731 [webmasterworld.com]

tangor

8:36 am on Aug 26, 2010 (gmt 0)

Guess one needs to decide if they are pragmatic or not regarding Gubermint Employees shopping on the public's time...

I block Websense... and do it because they keep checking ad infinitum, which is a waste of my bandwidth... even if the last public servant did a lookie-loo three months earlier.

grandma genie

4:16 pm on Aug 26, 2010 (gmt 0)

Thanks, phranque, for the discussion reference. It would appear, then, blocking the Websense IP does not block the employees, just declares my site unrated. I didn't like the Websense spider getting into my shopping cart, which is a no no for spiders. But I wondered about the IP address. It belonged to Websense. I assume an employee visiting from their desk at work has an IP that belongs to that company, not Websense. Is that right? Or do businesses that use the Websense software all have Websense IPs?