[Roughneck]

Norton has also lost my business.

[milbuf]

After reading your post, I too will not do business with them and have so notified them. Without the 2nd amendment there can not be a workable and fair 1st amendment..

Milbuf

[ElkGroveDan]

"companies" should be "company's"

Other than that, its an awesome response. Good job.

[Prime Choice]

Barvo, BattleFlag. Bravo. Well said.

[Question_Assumptions]

This doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me. They do give you a way to turn off the "weapons" category, do they not? What else does it include? Yes, you may not like the idea of censoring sites that talk about the responsible use of guns from children but I'm sure there are leftists out there that don't like the idea of censoring sites that talk about what they consider "responsible" attitudes towards sex, drugs, abortion, paganism, and homosexuality. Symantec can't be expected to please everyone.

[longtermmemmory]

Does not norton also block sites about breast cancer using the same logic?

Besides should you not be able to customize the program to allow 2nd amendment sites? (like saying this is a safe cookie?)

Whoever responded to you is an idiot when it comes to public relations.

[Edison]

I think you are looking for a bogey man where none resides. Why not attack them for blocking the porno sites that could be violation of their 1st amendment. This feature is only installed when you activate the child protections and then ALL of the child protections are installed. No gambling, no personal ads, no porn, no gun advocates. I have a setting for my kids that I regulate. Norton simply has a default of anything that anyone might find offensive.

Let's try and focus on the real bogey men like Chuck Schumer and his ilk.

Besides how would the software know if it is the NRA championing our second amendment rights or some radical islamist site advocating the shooting of the infidels.

Edison...NRA member

[Damocles]

I'll probably be in the minority on this one, but her reply seemed well mannered and informative. I guess you took issue with the one word "promotes", but your response was way out of line IMO. Rude and over-reactionary.

She took no position of the 2nd ammenmendent, nor identified herself as an authority on gun issues. She dealt with your original question. If you want your kids to view sights screened by Norton turn off the block, some parents may not want kids to see them.

It's an innocuous product and puts the control squarely where it belongs, ON THE PARENTS!

Switch to decaf...

[newgeezer]

No offense intended, Mr. BattleFlag, but you've probably provided that "leftist" and her "ilk" a funny story to tell for many Thanksgiving dinners to come.

[Bubba_Leroy]

I wouldn't have a problem if the would also include a categories to filter out websites that promote gun control and other leftist ideology.

[Egon]

Before everyone starts flaming me, I'm pro-gun.

That said, it seems to me you're looking for a fight where none exists. There is no way that Symantec can do what you're asking them to do. They're giving parents the ability to shut down access to sites in two ways: a one-click approach for commonly held negative sites (of which pro-2nd Ammendment sites, unfortunately, would fall under), but they also offer the second option which is more difficult to use but still available. Parents can customize the sites that their kids are blocked from.

I don't see this as an issue. Your argument stating that the responder is first discussing weapons, then calling them "firearms" is just bantying semantics (no pun intended), in my opinion. I've mixed the two terms myself on occasion.

I think if we attack everything that we can possibly spin to be against something we believe in, we quite possibly do harm to the cause we're trying to support.

Bring it on-- I'm wearing my suit!

[bicycle thug]

Symantec is a company local to me in nearby Springfield, Oregon. They are loathed as well by many in Eugene for forty large trees being cut next to their old site in downtown Eugene to build a parking garage largely for them.

If they were as radically leftie as you frame them, they do a poor job of it by pushing through their building plans that precipitated the 1997 Eugene Tree Riot and by getting disgusted with the Politically Correct People's Republic of Eugene and moving to blue collar, conservative and logging oriented Springfield next door.

Just wanted to give you some thoughts that immediately come to mind when I read this thread.

One more observation; seeing how cutting edge, spacious and beautiful their new digs are, I would say business is very robust for them right now and it would take a major effort to hurt their bottom line with a boycott.

[MEGoody]

If you want your kids to go to weapons sites, just don't choose that filter option. It's not a big deal. Sheesh.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

"It seems that for you and your leftist ilk..."

Fan of Hannity?

[Eaker]

Ping to read at home.

[LadyDoc]

ah come on now.

You just reset the controls not to block anything.

I had to remove it because I couldn't get into some of my medical sites. It is a blind blockage.

I could have petitioned to have them allow such sites, but it was too much bother.

And I don't have kids at home.I just have to worry about my husband having a heart attack when he reads war blogs like the Gweilo diaries...( a nice gentleman who posts stuff from Hong Kong...and has nice pictures too...personally, I prefer the Belligerant bunny web blog, since I like bunnies, the hare type, but to each his own)

http://www.gweilodiaries.com/

http://www.petbunny.blogspot.com/

Do you really want your kids to see pro gun sites? If so, then use it. If not, unblock. Ask your kids how to do it... they probably can unblock it to see naked ladies anyway. Most 13 year olds know more about computers than us grown ups...

[NittanyLion]

It sounds as though Symantec is producing software that can be used in a number of ways. There are undoubtedly consumers who will utilize the feature, and I can hardly fault Symantec for providing these people the tool to do so. They have a responsibility to their shareholders, and overriding shareholders' interest to achieve a political end - regardless of liberal or conservative - is improper.

[gcruse]

What a nasty response to Norton's reply. If the parent wants the kid going to gun sites, the nanny is turned off for that area. Otherwise, it can be turned on. Are you saying you think they should default by having the software ban all sites that are not pro-gun? Good lord. I am a gun-toting libertarian appalled at the low brows and disingenousness of many of my brethren.

[techwench]

the worst thing about it is their AV product is excellent, but here's another thing that burns me. they charge EXTRA for the PRIVILEGE to re-download the program in the first year of purchase IF you buy the AV via download! this totally sucks! might as well go out and buy the cd, the tax (and i live in NY state) doesn't come up to the "re-download" charge. . .