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| Jump for joy: free WiFi! |
Y'see, Uncle Ronald generously provided free WiFi internet access at 132 outlets all over NZ. But members of the gay community moaned they can't access various websites including gaynz.com, because McDonald’s has them blocked.
NZ Herald says members of the homosexual community “slammed the firm’s policies, calling them discriminatory” ("slammed"? What, they rammed a truck into the front door???!!! That's a bit OTT, NZHerald.).
Other blocked websites include familyplanning.org.nz, nzdating.com and rainbowyouth.org.nz (an organisation for young gays). Gambling, tobacco and porn sites are blocked too, but are there sanctimonious screams of "poor little us" from gamblers, smokers and porn addicts? No.
Surely the core issue here is that when you're providing something for free, you're perfectly entitled to control what you're dishing out – or set filters on what can be freely accessed on the web, and what can't. The filtering of sites by The Golden Arches is its RIGHT! It's a family-friendly business, the free internet it's providing SHOULD only be able to access family-friendly sites.
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| Not the PINK Arches... |
A McDonald’s spokesman (no, not Ronald) said: “We’re a family restaurant chain and as a part of offering this new service, our policy is that viewed content must be of a family-friendly nature – suitable for a child to view.”
Damn right! If someone's that desperate to access these sites, let them do it at home (or in one of those side-street dodgy-looking dimly-lit internet cafes).
When will minority groups grasp that the world does not revolve around them?
PS: 14 Jan.2011 - McD's has asked its internet provider to unblock a few websites following loud whimpers from some groups. But at this stage, gaynz.com remains blocked due to the sex advertising.
1 comment:
Of course, it begs the question: why did McDonalds install free internet in the first place?
Isn't the purpose of a fast food outlet to actually generate rapid through-put of customers, not to have them sitting round on laptaps, sucking on one iced coke every five hours?
Maybe McDs unintentionally made a rod for their own backs...think they'd be better off to just pull the plug entirely!
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