Internet Watch Cat" Helps Protect Visitors-from the Protectors

Web site helps Internet surfers take control over overzealous Internet protection programs that interfere with safe Web sites.

(PRWEB) May 19, 2005 -- The popular award winning Internet Web Site, 'ClydeSight2.0!' - the Fun and Games Cat Site, is a site with a mission, a mission to give visitors quality family friendly entertainment, AND some sage advice about Internet protection.

"The problem is that many Internet users don't know that the protection software they have on their computers-- ad blockers, and privacy controls tied into firewalls-- may be interfering with their surfing without their knowledge or consent." Says Tim Thompson, author of 'ClydeSight2.0!' "Users don't know this because they trust the protection software is working in their best interest. But often, the protection is overzealous. This amounts to cyber censorship as their computer obeys arbitrary blocking rules."

"Some of these protections are automatic," he continues, "and are too aggressive and unspecified, using a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to block part or all of safe and legitimate Web sites. Many people don't know this, so they do not know what they are missing."

Thompson has been a Webmaster for 10 years, knows his way around the Internet, and many of his Web sites have won awards. He recently became aware that some of his sites were being displayed incorrectly and even mysteriously 'disappearing'. Was this a virus, a cyber attack? Sort of-- it was coming from the new wave of protection software interfering with his sites because of unpublished and over generalized blocking rules in the protection products.

Thompson explains, "A surfer may go to a perfectly safe and legitimate Web site, only to find a blank page, or one that is incomplete, lacking essential navigation. I have seen legitimate search engine listings disappear, municipal and government Web sites displaying incorrectly, entire Web sites 're-constructed' around blocked components and some simply blocked out entirely-- all with no explanation from the protection software. This makes it appear that there is something wrong with the site, when, in fact, it is something wrong with the user's computer caused by the protection software!"

Thompson has a solution for the problem which is now on 'ClydeSight2.0!' "I discovered that many people simply do not know that this is happening, and they need to be told. I put up an advisory from Clyde the Cat, star of the Web site, to help people understand in a friendly way that they may be over protected and that they can control what these programs are doing. Clyde advises them to check into their protection software and its settings if legitimate and safe Web sites appear blank or do not work properly."

This can help, but the problem goes beyond the display of Web sites; it is also interfering with legitimate commerce on the Internet. Thompson got a shocking alert when a potential customer of 'ClydeStuff-- Cat Lover's Gear' that he sells from 'ClydeSight2.0!' -- could not make a purchase. She couldn't even get into his shared on-line store!

Cathrine Garnell, author of 'Basil, the Bionic Cat', wanted to purchase a mousepad from 'ClydeSight2.0!' But when she went to the on-line store, all she got was a blank page. At first she thought that because she is a resident of the United Kingdom, there was some international issue involved. She wrote to Tim asking about that and if the mousepad was still available.

"We discussed the problem by e-mail," explains Thompson, "and discovered it was her firewall and antivirus program settings that were causing the problem. They never told her-- just interfered with the store pages carrying 'ClydeStuff' making them appear blank. Once we discovered this, she was able to control her software and everything worked."

"I am very concerned." Thompson continues. "I have no way of knowing how many customers I may have lost because of these overly aggressive protection schemes. And it's not just me. I checked with fellow Webmasters across the Internet. Many report getting a negative impact from these programs, losing business and clients. It hits legitimate advertising too. Some 'pay-per-click' services offer a small graphic image to highlight or accompany an ad that appears in the sponsored sections of search engines. Many pay to have the image created for them. When these protection programs block such images, they are negatively impacting these customers and wasting their money. This is not right. Imagine a newspaper where all ads were blocked. How long would that paper stay in business?"

"I'm all for protection, but I am also in favor of common sense. The advisory on 'ClydeSight2.0!' tells visitors that if a legitimate Web page doesn't work right-- a page does not display or there is no navigation-- it could be caused by an overly aggressive protection program on their machine getting in the way. I felt it was important to alert people to what their computers may be doing without their knowledge. Many protection programs come bundled with new computers or from service providers and people don't have a clue what they do. They think they are safe, never dreaming they are being blocked from what they want." Says Thompson.

He further adds, "These programs can be controlled and some blocking features can be reduced or temporarily disabled by the visitor to view safe Web sites with no risk. Most users don't know they can do that. It's about time someone told them they can!"

Will Thompson ever recover his business, his lost customers? "There's no way of telling. People don't usually write in when something doesn't work, they just go somewhere else, which may have happened."

Yet something good has come from the experience, thanks to Thompson's alert customer. "Cathrine and I have become great friends. I love her book 'Basil, the Bionic Cat.' But more than that, we have some wonderful common interests. She wrote a beautiful article for my 'How to Live With Your Cat Journal', and we are planning a team adventure for Clyde and Basil. I compose music, and she is an author, so we may have a case of Gilbert and Sullivan in a very short time. And that's good for everyone!" Says Tim.

'ClydeSight2.0!' is produced by ClydeSight productions, and can be seen at: http://www.clydesight.com

'Basil, the Bionic Cat' is a children's book authored by Cathrine Garnell and can be seen at: http://www.bionicbasil.com

ClydeSight Productions are creators of inspiring and entertaining music, multimedia and Web sites.

Contact: Tim Thompson

ClydeSight Productions

###