Early research and development:
106-486: 51°30′41″N 0°00′12″W / 51.511453°N 0.003418°W / 51.511453; -0.003418 The London Internet Exchange (LINX) is a mutually governed Internet exchange point (IXP) providing peering services and public policy representation to network operators, encompassing over 950 different autonomous systems (ASNs). Established in 1994 in London, LINX operates IXPs in London, Manchester, Scotland, and Wales in
212-669: A core network /backbone network; each subsequent network handles more traffic than the last. Mobile service providers also have similar networks. A mailbox provider is an organization that provides services for hosting electronic mail domains with access to storage for mail boxes. It provides email servers to send, receive, accept, and store email for end users or other organizations. Many mailbox providers are also access providers, while others are not (e.g., Gmail , Yahoo! Mail , Outlook.com , AOL Mail , Po box ). The definition given in RFC 6650 covers email hosting services , as well as
318-472: A telecommunications service, thereby preserving net neutrality. On 10 November 2014, President Barack Obama recommended that the FCC reclassify broadband Internet service as a telecommunications service in order to preserve net neutrality. On 16 January 2015, Republicans presented legislation, in the form of a U.S. Congress H.R. discussion draft bill , that makes concessions to net neutrality but prohibits
424-441: A tier 1 carrier . In reality, the situation is often more complex. ISPs with more than one point of presence (PoP) may have separate connections to an upstream ISP at multiple PoPs, or they may be customers of multiple upstream ISPs and may have connections to each one of them at one or more point of presence. Transit ISPs provide large amounts of bandwidth for connecting hosting ISPs and access ISPs. Border Gateway Protocol
530-679: A " notice and take down " service by alerting them to any potentially illegal content within their remit on their systems and simultaneously invites the police to investigate the publisher. The IWF has connections with the Virtual Global Taskforce , the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre . Susie Hargreaves was appointed CEO in September 2011. Andrew Puddephatt
636-515: A 64-kilobit serial link to save the cost and time delay involved in routing data across the Atlantic to US Internet exchanges. When Demon Internet , UKERNA – the UK academic network – and other ISPs showed interest in establishing similar serial links, Keith Mitchell, then chief technical officer of PIPEX, initiated a meeting with BT to discuss the creation of a London-based Internet exchange. PIPEX provided
742-472: A Home Office spokesperson said that ISPs were being pressured to sign up to the IWF's blacklist in order to block child pornography websites and said that there was no alternative to using the IWF's blacklist. Zen Internet previously refused to use the IWF's blacklist citing "concerns over its effectiveness". However it quietly joined the foundation in September 2009 while still maintaining its concerns. As of 2009,
848-902: A Tier 1 ISP. Transit ISPs may use OTN ( Optical transport network ) or SDH/SONET (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy/Synchronous Optical Networking) with DWDM ( Dense wavelength-division multiplexing ) for transmitting data over optical fiber. For transmissions in a metro area such as a city and for large customers such as data centers, special pluggable modules in routers, conforming to standards such as CFP , QSFP-DD, OSFP, 400ZR or OpenZR+ may be used alongside DWDM and many vendors have proprietary offerings. Long-haul networks transport data across longer distances than metro networks, such as through submarine cables, or connecting several metropolitan networks. Optical line systems and packet optical transport systems can also be used for data transmission. Ultra long haul transmission transports data over distances of over 1500 kilometers. A virtual ISP (VISP)
954-552: A commercial telecommunications market, such as the United States. In 1995, NSFNET was decommissioned removing the last restrictions on the use of the Internet to carry commercial traffic and network access points were created to allow peering arrangements between commercial ISPs. On 23 April 2014, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was reported to be considering a new rule permitting ISPs to offer content providers
1060-617: A dark web forum, with 90% being realistic enough to be prosecutable under UK laws. The IWF is advocating for legal changes to criminalize the creation and distribution of AI-generated CSAM. Facilitated by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), discussions were held between certain ISPs, the Metropolitan Police, the Home Office , and a body called the "Safety Net Foundation" (formed by
1166-467: A faster track to send content, thus reversing their earlier net neutrality position. A possible solution to net neutrality concerns may be municipal broadband , according to Professor Susan Crawford , a legal and technology expert at Harvard Law School . On 15 May 2014, the FCC decided to consider two options regarding Internet services: first, permit fast and slow broadband lanes, thereby compromising net neutrality; and second, reclassify broadband as
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#17328559686281272-405: A mandate to avoid direct competition with its members. In November 1994, using a donated piece of equipment no bigger than a video recorder and without any written contracts, five UK-based Internet service providers (ISPs) linked their networks to exchange data and avoid paying high transatlantic bandwidth costs. LINX effectively began when two ISPs ( PIPEX and UK Net) linked their networks via
1378-458: A memorandum of understanding, with each member collectively owning the company. All members hold a single vote at Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) on issues related to finances, the constitution, and the scope of LINX activities. The members periodically elect the non-executive board of directors and convene at regular meetings to discuss technical, corporate governance, and regulatory matters. LINX operates under
1484-527: A network of hotlines and police around the world who follow their own country's process for removing the imagery. More than 99% of all the child sexual abuse images found by IWF are hosted outside of the UK. In this instance, whilst work to remove the imagery takes place, IWF places the web address on its URL List for partners to block the content. Aside from the IWF URL List, the IWF has developed many services which may be taken by internet companies to help stop
1590-415: A network segment. In addition to the main peering infrastructure, LINX provides managed private interconnections (via Single Mode Fiber ) between LINX members, and works with a number of fibre carriers to provide rapid connection between LINX members for private circuits. These PI circuits may be used for any purpose, but are mainly intended for Private Peering arrangements between members. Private Peering
1696-427: A non-profit organization run for the benefit of members and governed collectively through regular member meetings, a practice which continues to this day. While PIPEX continued to provide administrative oversight – charged at cost to LINX – member meetings were held every two months (now every three months) to decide strategic direction. Eventually, it was accepted that the purely co-operative system of operation at LINX
1802-694: A number of other criteria an up to $ 30 per month discount toward internet service, or up to $ 75 per month on certain tribal lands. Access provider ISPs provide Internet access, employing a range of technologies to connect users to their network. Available technologies have ranged from computer modems with acoustic couplers to telephone lines, to television cable (CATV), Wi-Fi , and fiber optics. For users and small businesses, traditional options include copper wires to provide dial-up , DSL, typically asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), cable modem or Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) (typically basic rate interface ). Using fiber-optics to end users
1908-417: A publicly available website. The list typically contains 500 – 800 URLs at any one time and is updated twice a day to ensure all entries are still live". Since IWF began proactively searching for child sexual abuse imagery, and since the introduction of crawler technology, the list typically contains between 5,000 and 12,000 URLs every day with a daily 'churn' of content being added to the list and removed from
2014-514: A region. ISPs may engage in peering , where multiple ISPs interconnect at peering points or Internet exchange points (IXPs), allowing routing of data between each network, without charging one another for the data transmitted—data that would otherwise have passed through a third upstream ISP, incurring charges from the upstream ISP. ISPs requiring no upstream and having only customers (end customers or peer ISPs) are called Tier 1 ISPs . Network hardware, software and specifications, as well as
2120-641: A result, the case was abandoned and the defendant was cleared of all charges. On 5 December 2008, the IWF system started blacklisting a Misplaced Pages article covering the Scorpions ' 1976 album Virgin Killer , and an image of its original LP cover art which appeared on that article. Users of some major ISPs, including BT , Vodafone , Virgin Media / Tesco.net , Be / O2 , EasyNet/UK Online / Sky Broadband , PlusNet , Demon, and TalkTalk (Opal Telecom), were unable to access
2226-542: A significant increase in AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. During a 30-day review of a dark web forum, the IWF found 3,512 AI-created CSAM images and videos, a 17% rise from a similar review in fall 2023. The IWF observed that most cases involved manipulating existing CSAM or adult pornography by superimposing a child's face. A few instances involved entirely AI-made videos, which were still of basic quality. Their study found 12,000 new AI-generated images on
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#17328559686282332-556: A smaller Summit X460 switch for terminating slower ports. The links between sites will be provisioned on a dark fibre provided by NTL and lit by LINX with the use of SFP+ DWDM transceivers and passive DWDM MUX units. Initial ISL capacity will be configured at 20 Gbit/s but easily upgradeable to 80 Gbit/s if required. Located in Pulsant's South Gyle data center in Edinburgh (formerly Scolocate), IX Scotland, now known as LINX Scotland,
2438-446: A tier 2 or tier 1 ISP usually has a larger network than the contracting ISP or is able to provide the contracting ISP with access to parts of the Internet the contracting ISP by itself has no access to. In the simplest case, a single connection is established to an upstream ISP and is used to transmit data to or from areas of the Internet beyond the home network; this mode of interconnection is often cascaded multiple times until reaching
2544-464: A time when it is still possible to influence them, and to educate, inform and influence regulators and legislators. At the UK level, LINX liaises directly with policymakers on matters such as content regulation, telecoms regulation, privacy and data protection, e-mail spam, online fraud/phishing, law enforcement, counter-terrorism, and any other topics that affect LINX members. At the European level, LINX
2650-536: A wide array of surveillance and packet sniffing equipment into their networks, which then feeds the data to law-enforcement/intelligence networks (such as DCSNet in the United States, or SORM in Russia) allowing monitoring of Internet traffic in real time. Internet Watch Foundation The Internet Watch Foundation ( IWF ) is a global registered charity based in Cambridge , England. It states that its remit
2756-469: Is "to minimise the availability of online sexual abuse content, specifically child sexual abuse images and videos hosted anywhere in the world and non-photographic child sexual abuse images hosted in the UK." Content inciting racial hatred was removed from the IWF's remit after a police website was set up for the purpose in April 2011. The IWF used to also take reports of criminally obscene adult content hosted in
2862-524: Is a matter for "our police partners", and IWF has no plans to extend the type of content included on the list. A staff of 13 trained analysts are responsible for this work, and the IWF's 2018 Annual Report says that on average, 376 new URLs were added to the list daily. Between 2004 and 2006, BT Group introduced its Cleanfeed technology which was then used by 80% of internet service providers. BT spokesman Jon Carter described Cleanfeed's function as "to block access to illegal Web sites that are listed by
2968-407: Is also possible from remote locations via the 'LINX from Anywhere' scheme via a range of layer 2 service/MPLS carriers. Redundancy of the network is managed using rapid-failover protection mechanisms such a VPLS service over an MPLS core (MPLS/VPLS) from Juniper and Extreme's Ethernet Automatic Protection System (EAPS). These restore connectivity within tenths of a second in the event of the loss of
3074-594: Is an active member of Euro ISPA and works with Euro ISPA's other national associations to influence European policy. LINX also works actively with partner organizations such as the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and the Internet Society (ISOC). LINX was instrumental in the creation of the Internet Watch Foundation, the UK hotline for reporting and removing child sexual abuse material from
3180-530: Is an operation that purchases services from another ISP, sometimes called a wholesale ISP in this context, which allow the VISP's customers to access the Internet using services and infrastructure owned and operated by the wholesale ISP. VISPs resemble mobile virtual network operators and competitive local exchange carriers for voice communications. Free ISPs are Internet service providers that provide service free of charge. Many free ISPs display advertisements while
3286-451: Is another option, including cellular and satellite Internet access . Access providers may have an MPLS ( Multiprotocol label switching ) or formerly a SONET backbone network , and have a ring or mesh network topology in their core network. The networks run by access providers can be considered wide area networks . ISPs can have access networks , aggregation networks/aggregation layers/distribution layers/edge routers/metro networks and
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3392-434: Is called Fiber To The Home or similar names. Customers with more demanding requirements (such as medium-to-large businesses, or other ISPs) can use higher-speed DSL (such as single-pair high-speed digital subscriber line ), Ethernet , metropolitan Ethernet , gigabit Ethernet , Frame Relay , ISDN Primary Rate Interface , ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) and synchronous optical networking (SONET). Wireless access
3498-479: Is done at IXPs, while private peering can be done with direct links between networks. Internet service providers in many countries are legally required (e.g., via Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) in the U.S.) to allow law enforcement agencies to monitor some or all of the information transmitted by the ISP, or even store the browsing history of users to allow government access if needed (e.g. via
3604-444: Is not exhaustive and we are looking to you to monitor your newsgroups identifying and taking necessary action against those others found to contain such material. As you will be aware the publication of obscene articles is an offence. This list is only the starting point and we hope, with the co-operation and assistance of the industry and your trade organisations, to be moving quickly towards the eradication of this type of newsgroup from
3710-481: Is reported to be due to the single blacklisted article causing all Misplaced Pages traffic from ISPs using the system to be routed through a transparent proxy server. Misplaced Pages distinguishes unlogged-in users from each other by their IP address, so interpreted all unlogged-in users from a particular ISP as a single user editing massively from the proxy address, which triggered Misplaced Pages's anti-abuse mechanism, blocking them. On 14 January 2009, some UK users reported that all of
3816-451: Is sometimes more appropriate for managing large flows of traffic between ISPs and/or Content Providers. Telehouse hosts the vast majority of internet peering traffic from LINX. One of LINX's core functions is to represent its members in matters of public policy. LINX's Public Affairs department works to obtain advance warning of public policy developments that could affect LINX members, to inform members about important policy developments at
3922-576: Is used by routers to connect to other networks, which are identified by their autonomous system number. Tier 2 ISPs depend on Tier 1 ISPs and often have their own networks, but must pay for transit or internet access to Tier 1 ISPs, but may peer or send transit without paying, to other Tier 2 ISPs. Tier 3 ISPs do not engage in peering and only purchase transit from Tier 2 and Tier 1 ISPs, and often specialize in offering internet service to end customers such as businesses and individuals. Some organizations act as their own ISPs and purchase transit directly from
4028-667: The Communication Workers Union . The IWF's website offers a web-based government-endorsed method for reporting suspect online content and remains the only such operation in the United Kingdom. It acts as a Relevant Authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concerning Section 46 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (meaning that its analysts will not be prosecuted for looking at illegal content in
4134-638: The Dawe Charitable Trust ). This resulted in the "R3 Safety Net Agreement", where "R3" referred to the triple approach of rating, reporting, and responsibility. In September 1996, this agreement was made between the ISPA, LINX , and the Safety Net Foundation, which was subsequently renamed the Internet Watch Foundation. The agreement set requirements for associated ISPs regarding identifiability and traceability of Internet users; ISPs had to cooperate with
4240-817: The European Union by comprising one-third of the UK Safer Internet Centre . The IWF is governed by a board of trustees which consists of an independent chair, six non-industry representatives, three industry representatives plus one co-opted independent representative with a specialism in human rights. The Board monitors and reviews IWF's remit, strategy, policy and budget to enable the IWF to achieve its objectives. The IWF operate from offices in Vision Park, near Cambridge . It has been criticized as an ineffective quango that does not deserve its charity status, for producing excessive numbers of false positives, for
4346-697: The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 in the United Kingdom ). Furthermore, in some countries ISPs are subject to monitoring by intelligence agencies. In the U.S., a controversial National Security Agency program known as PRISM provides for broad monitoring of Internet users traffic and has raised concerns about potential violation of the privacy protections in the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution . Modern ISPs integrate
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4452-549: The 85 billion pages of the Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) had been blocked, although the IWF's policy is to block only individual offending web pages and not whole domains. According to IWF chief executive Peter Robbins, this was due to a "technical hitch". Because the Internet Archive's website contained URLs on the IWF's blacklist, requests sent there from Demon Internet carried a particular header, which clashed with
4558-517: The European Union and the online industry. This includes Internet service providers, mobile operators and manufacturers, content service providers, telecommunications and filtering companies, search providers and the financial sector as well as blue-chip and other organisations who support the IWF for corporate social responsibility reasons. Through their "Hotline" reporting system, the organisation helps ISPs to combat abuse of their services through
4664-497: The FCC from accomplishing the goal or enacting any further regulation affecting Internet service providers. On 31 January 2015, AP News reported that the FCC will present the notion of applying ("with some caveats") Title II (common carrier) of the Communications Act of 1934 to the Internet in a vote expected on 26 February 2015. Adoption of this notion would reclassify Internet service from one of information to one of
4770-745: The Home Office Internet Task Force, the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit , the Department of Trade and Industry and relevant departments of the EU Commission. In 2003, Roland was succeeded by Malcolm Hutty when Roland left to form his own advisory group. LINX also actively and financially supports the Internet Watch Foundation which, since 1996, has worked to eradicate child abuse images from the UK Internet. Initial funding from LINX
4876-622: The IWF to identify providers of illegal content and facilitate easier traceability. Demon Internet was a driving force behind the IWF's creation, and one of its employees, Clive Feather, became the IWF's first chair of the Funding Board and solicitor Mark Stephens the First Chair of the IWF's Policy Board. The Policy Board developed codes, guidance, operational oversight and a hotline for reporting content. The Funding Board, made up of industry representatives and Chair of Policy Board, provided
4982-551: The IWF, potentially causing unintended interference as discussed below. In 2018 the IWF URL List contained 100,682 unique URLs. R v Walker , sometimes called the "Girls (Scream) Aloud Obscenity Trial", was the first prosecution for written material under Section 2(1) of the Obscene Publications Act in nearly two decades. It involved the prosecution of Darryn Walker for posting a story entitled "Girls (Scream) Aloud" on an internet erotic story site in 2008. The story
5088-434: The Internet ... We are very anxious that all service providers should be taking positive action now, whether or not they are members of a trade association. We trust that with your co-operation and self regulation it will not be necessary for us to move to an enforcement policy. The list was arranged so that the first section consisted of unambiguously titled paedophile newsgroups, then continued with other kinds of groups which
5194-502: The Internet Watch Foundation", and described it as essentially a server hosting a filter that checked requested URLs for Web sites on the IWF list, and returning an error message of "Web site not found" for positive matches. In 2006, Home Office minister Alan Campbell pledged that all ISPs would block access to child abuse websites by the end of 2007. By the middle of 2006, the government reported that 90% of domestic broadband connections were either currently blocked or had plans to be by
5300-633: The Internet for a monthly fee, were established in Australia and the United States. In Brookline, Massachusetts , The World became the first commercial ISP in the US. Its first customer was served in November 1989. These companies generally offered dial-up connections, using the public telephone network to provide last-mile connections to their customers. The barriers to entry for dial-up ISPs were low and many providers emerged. However, cable television companies and
5406-469: The Internet grew in popularity, legislators and law enforcement agencies began to call for its regulation. LINX increasingly found itself taking on non-core activities, such as providing expert advice on behalf of its members (and, therefore, the whole industry) to a wide range of official agencies. In 1999, LINX appointed its first full-time regulation officer in Roland Perry to advise organizations such as
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#17328559686285512-411: The Internet unless service providers were seen to wholeheartedly embrace "responsible self-regulation". The ISP Demon Internet regarded the police request as "unacceptable censorship"; however, its attitude annoyed ISPA chairman Shez Hamill, who said: We are being portrayed as a bunch of porn merchants. This is an image we need to change. Many of our members have already acted to take away the worst of
5618-420: The Internet, and continues to advise the IWF as a member of its Funding Council. As a mutual, membership-based organization, all of LINX's public affairs activity is informed and guided by extensive and ongoing consultation with LINX members. Launched in April 2012 IX Manchester, now known as LINX Manchester was initially a single-site platform based on a stand-alone Brocade BigIron RX-16 switch, repurposed from
5724-609: The Internet. The FCC Chairman, Tom Wheeler , commented, "This is no more a plan to regulate the Internet than the First Amendment is a plan to regulate free speech. They both stand for the same concept." On 12 March 2015, the FCC released the specific details of the net neutrality rules. On 13 April 2015, the FCC published the final rule on its new " Net Neutrality " regulations. These rules went into effect on 12 June 2015. Upon becoming FCC chairman in April 2017, Ajit Pai proposed an end to net neutrality, awaiting votes from
5830-473: The Internet. But Demon have taken every opportunity to stand alone in this regard. They do not like the concept of our organisation. Following this, a tabloid-style exposé of Demon Internet appeared in the Observer newspaper, which alleged that Clive Feather (a director of Demon) "provides paedophiles with access to thousands of photographs of children being sexually abused". During the summer and autumn of 1996
5936-598: The LINX founders with a Cisco Catalyst 1200 switch with eight 10-megabit ports. Rack space was leased at a then virtually empty data center operated by Telehouse International Corporation of Europe Ltd at Coriander Avenue in London's Dockland. Switching the first data through the Telehouse hub was accomplished by primarily technical specialists who were unconcerned about the formalities of legal contracts. However, while PIPEX continued to provide administrative and technical oversight,
6042-495: The UHF band (including the MMDS frequency band) and LMDS . It is hypothesized that the vast divide between broadband connection in rural and urban areas is partially caused by a lack of competition between ISPs in rural areas , where there exists a market typically controlled by just one provider. A lack of competition problematically causes subscription rates to rise disproportionately with
6148-556: The UK National Criminal Intelligence Service which in turn forwards it to Interpol or the relevant foreign police authority. It now works with the Serious Organised Crime Agency instead. The IWF does not, however, pass on notifications of other types of potentially illegal content hosted outside the UK. Since March 2010, the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) has required all procurement specifications for
6254-511: The UK police made it known that they were planning to raid an ISP with the aim of launching a test case regarding the publication of obscene material over the Internet. The direct result of the campaign of threats and pressure was the establishment of the Internet Watch Foundation (initially known as the Safety Net Foundation) in September 1996. A report by IWF published in July 2024, revealed
6360-439: The UK, not legal. This interpretation of the constitutional change was disputed on the official LINX website. Voting on the constitutional revision took place during a hastily called Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on 21 February; although a majority supported the change the number attending was too small for the motion to be carried. 2021 – LINX reported a record level of UK Traffic at 6.05 Tbit/s. 2022 – LINX joined
6466-504: The UK, or uploaded by someone in the UK, but regarding blocking sites "with those categories, our remit will only go so far as to refer sites hosted in the UK to the appropriate authorities." The IWF states that it works in partnership with UK Government departments such as the Home Office and the DCMS to influence initiatives and programmes developed to combat online abuse. They are funded by
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#17328559686286572-412: The UK. This was removed from the IWF's remit in 2017. As part of its function, the IWF says that it will "supply partners with an accurate and current URL list to enable blocking of child sexual abuse content". It has "an excellent and responsive national Hotline reporting service" for receiving reports from the public. In addition to receiving referrals from the public, its agents also proactively search
6678-541: The United Kingdom, as well as in Northern Virginia, United States. Founded by a consortium of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and educational networks, LINX is a founding member of Euro-IX, a Europe-wide alliance of Internet exchanges. It is one of the largest neutral IXPs in Europe by average throughput. LINX functions as a non-profit organization, structured as a company limited by guarantee. Membership involves signing
6784-483: The blacklist was said to contain about 450 URLs. A 2009 study by researcher Richard Clayton at the University of Cambridge found that about a quarter of them were specific pages on otherwise legitimate free file hosting services , among them RapidShare , Megaupload , SendSpace and Zshare. Listing these pages on the confidential blacklist of pages would cause all accesses to the sites hosting them to be referred to
6890-480: The blocked URL list. The IWF compiles and maintains a list of URLs for individual webpages with child sexual abuse content called the IWF URL List (previously referred to as the child abuse image content list or CAIC list). A whole website will only be included on the list if that whole domain is dedicated to the distribution of child sexual abuse images. It says "every URL on the list depicts indecent images of children, advertisements for or links to such content, on
6996-471: The commission. On 21 November 2017, Pai announced that a vote will be held by FCC members on 14 December 2017 on whether to repeal the policy. On 11 June 2018, the repeal of the FCC's network neutrality rules took effect. Since December 31, 2021, The Affordable Connectivity Program has given households in the U.S. at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or households which meet
7102-553: The content carried by some of the newsgroups made available by them was illegal, that they considered the ISPs involved to be publishers of that material, and that they were therefore breaking the law. In August 1996, Chief Inspector Stephen French, of the Metropolitan Police Clubs & Vice Unit , sent an open letter to the ISPA, requesting that they ban access to a list of 132 newsgroups, many of which were deemed to contain pornographic images or explicit text. This list
7208-431: The content has not been found to be illegal by a court of law, IWF Director of Communications Sarah Robertson claimed, on 8 December 2008, that the IWF is opposed to the censorship of legal content. In the case of the IWF's blacklisting of cover art hosted on Misplaced Pages just a few days prior, she claimed that "The IWF found the image to be illegal", despite the body not having any legal jurisdiction to do so. In March 2009
7314-473: The course of their duties). Reports can be submitted anonymously. According to the IWF MOU "If potentially illegal content is hosted in the UK the IWF will work with the relevant service provider and British police agency to have the content 'taken down' and assist as necessary to have the offender(s) responsible for distributing the offending content detected." Potentially illegal content includes: However, almost
7420-533: The difference in competition levels has potentially negatively affected the innovation and development of infrastructure in specific rural areas remains a question. The exploration and answers developed to the question could provide guidance for possible interventions and solutions meant to remedy the digital divide between rural and urban connectivity. Altnets (portmanteau of "alternative network provider") are localized broadband networks, typically formed as an alternative to monopolistic internet service providers within
7526-545: The end of the year. The target for 100% coverage was set for the end of 2007, however in the middle of 2008 it stood at 95%. In February 2009, the Government said that it is looking at ways to cover the final 5%. In an interview in March 2009, a Home Office spokesperson mistakenly thought that the IWF deleted illegal content, and didn't look at the content they rate. Although the IWF's blacklist causes content to be censored even if
7632-400: The expertise of network management personnel are important in ensuring that data follows the most efficient route, and upstream connections work reliably. A tradeoff between cost and efficiency is possible. Tier 1 ISPs are also interconnected with a mesh network topology. Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) are public locations where several networks are connected to each other. Public peering
7738-426: The filtered content. Although controversial, the album and image are still available, both through Internet shopping sites and from physical shops. The image had been reported to the IWF by a reader, and the IWF determined that it could be seen as potentially illegal. The IWF estimated the block affected 95% of British residential users. The IWF has since rescinded the block, issuing the following statement: [...]
7844-615: The first Internet exchange in the world to install a Juniper PTX5000 in a live network and the exchange opened its first site outside London in Manchester (IX Manchester). 2013 – Two additional local exchanges, IX Scotland in Edinburgh and LINX NOVA in North Virginia, USA , were launched. They were the exchange's first sites outside England. 2014 – Another local exchange, IX Cardiff in Wales ,
7950-489: The geographical diversity by doing so in the City of London, North Acton and Slough. It also heralded new relationships with data centre operators, with the addition of Interxion and Equinix (to the pre-existing ones of Telehouse and Telecity). 2011 – The LINX primary LAN was redesigned to a VPLS-based infrastructure with a new vendor, Juniper Networks. 2012 – The Connection reseller Programme launched. Also this year LINX became
8056-525: The government and the DTI, which played a "facilitating role in its creation", according to a DTI spokesman. At the time, Patricia Hewitt , then Minister for E-Commerce , said: "The Internet Watch Foundation plays a vital role in combating criminal material on the Net." To counter accusations that the IWF was biased in favour of the ISPs, a new independent chairman was appointed, Roger Darlington, former head of research at
8162-604: The image in question is potentially in breach of the Protection of Children Act 1978. However, the IWF Board has today (9 December 2008) considered these findings and the contextual issues involved in this specific case and, in light of the length of time the image has existed and its wide availability, the decision has been taken to remove this webpage from our list. Additionally, many UK Internet users were unable to edit Misplaced Pages pages unless registered and logged in with Misplaced Pages. This
8268-470: The introduction of the World Wide Web . During the 1980s, online service providers such as CompuServe , Prodigy , and America Online (AOL) began to offer limited capabilities to access the Internet, such as e-mail interchange, but full access to the Internet was not readily available to the general public. In 1989, the first Internet service providers, companies offering the public direct access to
8374-454: The list as appropriate. Offending UK URLs are not listed as they are taken down very quickly; URLs elsewhere are listed only until they are removed. The list is applied by the ISPs of 95% of commercial Internet customers in the UK. According to the IWF website, blocking applies only to potentially criminal URLs related to child sexual abuse content on publicly available websites; the distribution of images through other channels such as peer-to-peer
8480-716: The long list of organizations supporting Ukraine by disconnecting Russian services from its networks. In London , LINX operates two physically separate networks, or switching platforms , on different architectures using equipment from different manufacturers ( Extreme Networks and Juniper Networks ). These networks are deployed over ten locations, each connected by multiple 100 Gigabit Ethernet or 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections over fibre networks. The LINX Engineering team restructured its secondary LAN in London, LON2, in 2018 using software and hardware from two different suppliers. LINX data center facilities are found at sixteen locations throughout London, including: Connecting
8586-546: The manpower and Rackspace costs of having their own installation in London. 2004 – LINX considerably expanded its footprint, with four new points of presence (Pop's) – all in the Docklands area of London. 2005 – LINX members voted to make public affairs one of the company's "core functions", placing it on an equal footing with peering and interconnection. 2006 – LINX membership reached 200. 2008 – LINX expanded again opening three new PoPs, this time adding considerably to
8692-405: The need for a formal constitution was eventually recognized. The solution was to form a company limited by guarantee. Lawyers produced a draft memorandum and constitution which was extensively modified by members. The company was formed in 1995, and a board of five non-executive directors was elected, with Keith Mitchell as the initial chairman. From the beginning, it was agreed that LINX would be
8798-770: The networks and creating the Internet: Commercialization, privatization, broader access leads to the modern Internet: Examples of Internet services: An Internet service provider ( ISP ) is an organization that provides myriad services related to accessing, using, managing, or participating in the Internet . ISPs can be organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned , non-profit , or otherwise privately owned . Internet services typically provided by ISPs can include internet access , internet transit , domain name registration, web hosting , and colocation . The Internet (originally ARPAnet )
8904-528: The newspaper The Guardian , explained in his book Bound and Gagged that Ian Taylor , the Conservative Science and Industry Minister at the time, had underlined an explicit threat to ISPs that if they did not stop carrying the newsgroups in question, the police would act against any company that provided their users with "pornographic or violent material". Taylor went on to make it clear that there would be calls for legislation to regulate all aspects of
9010-462: The open web and deep web to identify child sexual abuse images and videos. It can then ask service providers to take down the websites containing the images or to block them if they fall outside UK jurisdiction . If found on the open web, it traces where the content is hosted (geographically) and either directly issues a notice to the hosting company to remove the imagery (if hosted in the UK) or works with
9116-470: The police wanted to restrict access to, including alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.cheerleaders and alt.binaries.pictures.erotic.centerfolds . Although this action had taken place without any prior debate in Parliament or elsewhere, the police, who appeared to be doing their best to create and not simply to enforce the law, were not acting entirely on their own initiative. Alan Travis , Home Affairs editor of
9222-424: The primary LAN in London. A new design extends the network to two new sites – M247's Ice Colo & Joule House and brings in completely new hardware from Extreme Networks. The new network will be configured as an EAPS protected ring, topology currently used for the secondary LINX LAN in London. All sites will use a Summit X670v switch, capable of connecting 48x10 Gb member ports. Telecity Williams will also have
9328-400: The provision of Internet-related services to central government agencies and public bodies to require the Internet service provider (ISP) to block access to sites [ sic ] on the IWF list. The policy of blocking access to child sexual abuse content via government sites is described as "lead[ing] by example". ISPs would generally be expected to pay IWF for membership or access to
9434-415: The quality of service in rural areas, causing broadband connection to be unaffordable for some, even when the infrastructure supports service in a given area. In contrast, consumers in urban areas typically benefit from lower rates and higher quality of broadband services, not only due to more advanced infrastructure but also the healthy economic competition caused by having several ISPs in a given area. How
9540-755: The relevant department of companies, universities, organizations, groups, and individuals that manage their mail servers themselves. The task is typically accomplished by implementing Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and possibly providing access to messages through Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), the Post Office Protocol , Webmail , or a proprietary protocol. Internet hosting services provide email, web-hosting, or online storage services. Other services include virtual server , cloud services, or physical server operation. Just as their customers pay them for Internet access, ISPs themselves pay upstream ISPs for Internet access. An upstream ISP such as
9646-556: The secrecy of its proceedings, and for poor technical implementations of its policies that have degraded the response time of the whole UK Internet. IWF claims to have succeeded in reducing the percentage of the worldwide child sexual abuse images that are hosted in the UK from 18% in 1996 to 0.04% in 2018. During 1996, the Metropolitan Police told the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) that
9752-404: The spread of child sexual abuse imagery online. The IWF operates informal partnerships with the police, government, public, and internet companies across the world. Originally formed to police suspected child pornography online, the IWF's remit was later expanded to cover criminally obscene material, though this was removed from the IWF's remit in 2017. The IWF takes a strong stance against
9858-465: The telecommunications and, according to Tom Wheeler , chairman of the FCC, ensure net neutrality. The FCC was expected to enforce net neutrality in its vote, according to The New York Times . On 26 February 2015, the FCC ruled in favor of net neutrality by adopting Title II (common carrier) of the Communications Act of 1934 and Section 706 in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to
9964-427: The telephone carriers already had wired connections to their customers and could offer Internet connections at much higher speeds than dial-up using broadband technology such as cable modems and digital subscriber line (DSL). As a result, these companies often became the dominant ISPs in their service areas, and what was once a highly competitive ISP market became effectively a monopoly or duopoly in countries with
10070-606: The term 'child pornography' and on its website cites "we use the term child sexual abuse to reflect the gravity of the images and videos we deal with. Child pornography, child porn and kiddie porn are not acceptable descriptions. A child cannot consent to their own abuse". The IWF is an incorporated charity, limited by guarantee, and largely funded by voluntary contributions from UK communications service providers, including ISPs, mobile phone operators , Internet trade associations , search engines , hardware manufacturers, and software providers . It also currently receives funding from
10176-627: The user is connected; like commercial television , in a sense they are selling the user's attention to the advertiser. Other free ISPs, sometimes called freenets , are run on a nonprofit basis, usually with volunteer staff. A wireless Internet service provider (WISP) is an Internet service provider with a network based on wireless networking. Technology may include commonplace Wi-Fi wireless mesh networking, or proprietary equipment designed to operate over open 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 4.9, 5.2, 5.4, 5.7, and 5.8 GHz bands or licensed frequencies such as 2.5 GHz (EBS/BRS), 3.65 GHz (NN) and in
10282-516: The wherewithal for the IWF's day-to-day activities as set down and required by the Policy Board. After three years of operation, the IWF was reviewed for the DTI and the Home Office by consultants KPMG and Denton Hall . Their report was delivered in October 1999 and resulted in a number of changes being made to the role and structure of the organisation, and it was relaunched in early 2000, endorsed by
10388-613: The whole of the IWF site is concerned with suspected images of child sexual abuse with little mention of other criminally obscene material, also within their remit. Images judged by the IWF using UK law to be images of child sexual abuse are blocked. The Government said that the IWF would also be handling images of adult " extreme pornography ", which became illegal for people in the UK to possess on 26 January 2009. This has not been part of IWF's remit since 2017. The IWF includes "extreme pornography" as an example under "criminally obscene content", meaning that they will report material hosted in
10494-438: Was a fictional written account describing the kidnap, rape and murder of pop group Girls Aloud . It was reported to the IWF who passed the information on to Scotland Yard 's Obscene Publications Unit . During the trial, the prosecution claimed that the story could be "easily accessed" by young fans of Girls Aloud. However, the defence demonstrated that it could only be located by those specifically searching for such material. As
10600-572: Was appointed Chair in January 2018. The Senior Leadership Team at IWF comprises: The IWF passes notifications of suspected child sexual abuse images and videos through the INHOPE network of hotlines across the world, whenever the content is traced to an INHOPE country. Where there is no INHOPE hotline, IWF works with the relevant police body in that country. Previously, the IWF passed on notifications of suspected child pornography hosted on non-UK servers to
10706-493: Was becoming overly demanding. Then, in late 1996, Keith Mitchell accepted the role of full-time chairman, working with a personal assistant from offices in Peterborough. In the summer of 1996, LINX became the first Internet exchange in the world to deploy a 100-megabit switch – a Cisco Catalyst 5000. In January 1999, it pioneered the implementation of a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) running over gigabit Ethernet connections. As
10812-443: Was developed as a network between government research laboratories and participating departments of universities. Other companies and organizations joined by direct connection to the backbone , or by arrangements through other connected companies, sometimes using dialup tools such as UUCP . By the late 1980s, a process was set in place towards public, commercial use of the Internet. Some restrictions were removed by 1991, shortly after
10918-575: Was instrumental in enabling the IWF to launch and the decision to create the IWF and define its charter was taken at a LINX member meeting in Heathrow. 2000 – A training manager was appointed to introduce an accredited training program for Internet engineers and technicians. 2001 – LINX amended its corporate structure to make the post of chairman non-executive and appointed its first chief executive officer, John Souter, previously UK managing director of German-owned Varieties Communications. 2002 – LINX
11024-460: Was launched. 2016 – Sees the introduction of new hardware and a restructuring of LON2 with hardware from EdgeCore Networks 2017 – Following the passage of the Investigatory Powers Act , a new constitution was proposed which would ban directors from reporting the installation of surveillance equipment to members. This caused dissension among members, many of which are non-UK based ISPs operating from countries where mass surveillance is, like in
11130-517: Was officially launched in November 2013. The site will use the latest hardware from Extreme Networks enabling all the advanced features expected from a modern exchange. Located in BT's Stadium House data center in Cardiff. IX Cardiff, then LINX Cardiff, now known as LINX Wales was officially launched on 15 October 2014 in an effort to decentralize UK internet traffic. Internet service provider Merging
11236-411: Was the first exchange to introduce 10G Ethernet operation, using equipment from Foundry Networks – in fact, the second of their worldwide customers to deploy their technology. 2003 – This year saw the launch of the 'LINX from Anywhere' service, a facility that permits smaller ISPs to piggyback on the networks of existing members to obtain a secure, virtual presence on the LINX exchange without incurring
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