I sent a friend an email a few moments ago. I sent it to his work address. Within the body of the email I wrote (referring to this blog):
I wouldn’t usually include “BS” in the blog. It is probably the first time it’s here. Though crude, it’s not terrible as words go. Actually, it’s a perfectly good word to use, under the right circumstances, to convey strong emotion while making a point.
My email bounced back. To protect my friend, I’ll remove his address from the form that follows.
From: me@geofffox.com
To:
Subject: blog
Message: B4436f0400000.000000000001.0004.mml
Because it may contain unacceptable language, or inappropriate material.
If you believe the message is business related, please call {Desktop Support at xxx-xxx-xxxx} and request that the message be released, or remove any inappropriate language and send it again. If no contact is made within 5 days the message will be automatically deleted.
MailMarshal Rule: Inbound Spam and Languange : Block Unacceptable Language
Script Offensive Language (Basic) Triggered in Body
Expression: bullshit Triggered 1 times weighting 5
NetIQ MailMarshal
Email Content Security
That’ll teach me!
Of course this company was only trying to do the right thing by flagging that word. But, are computers advanced enough to let them make that decision? Was what I said “offensive” or just colorful and crude?
Oh – from the mail headers it seemed like the bounceback note containing the offended word was copied to him! So much for on-the-job protection.
I am somewhat more attuned to this today because of NSA/AT&T story that came out earlier today.
Mark Klein, a retired AT&T communications technician, submitted an affidavit in support of the EFF’s lawsuit this week. That class action lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco last January, alleges that AT&T violated federal and state laws by surreptitiously allowing the government to monitor phone and internet communications of AT&T customers without warrants.
That’s a story which probably won’t go away quickly.
Blogger’s addendum: The word “language” is misspelled in the entry above because it is misspelled in the form, sent dozens of times a day.