(no subject)

[theweaselking]

Proving once again that Yahoo has long since overtaken AOL as "internet company with the most stupid policies", Ed Callahan finds that he is incapable of signing up for a Yahoo email account using his name - because it contains the word "Allah".

Comments

[lowbeyonder.livejournal.com]

Apparently they've changed that policy (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/22/yahoo_unbans_allah/).

Story as updated since then...

[fortysevenbteg.livejournal.com]

Yahoo Reverses Allah Ban
Posted by CmdrTaco on Thursday February 23, @05:07PM
from the wierdest-title-i've-posted-in-awhile dept.

damnal writes "Yahoo's ban on "Allah" in users names, has been reversed. The ban was instituted due to a number of people registering for IDs using specific terms with the sole purpose of promoting hate. Yahoo's comment on the reversal: "We recently re-evaluated the term 'Allah,' and users can now register for IDs with this word because it is no longer a significant target for abuse.""

Re: Story as updated since then...

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

It mentions in the article I linked that it has been reversed. It's just one of those NFL-level fuckups that Yahoo is so prone to.

Re: Story as updated since then...

[cmseward.livejournal.com]

NFL-level fuckups

I like the phrase, but where did it come from?

Re: Story as updated since then...

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

The NFL's website lets you order custom jerseys - so you can get official NFL merchandise with your own name.

Barry Gay tried to order one. He was told that he's not allowed to get jerseys with "naughty words" printed on them. A LSU prof wanted to buy one with her former student's name on it - New England Patriots player Randall Gay. Same deal.

As this website (http://outsports.com/nfl/2005/0301nflshop.htm) shows, the NFL eventually reversed the policy, but if you scroll down, you can see that even with the filter in place, they managed to order jerseys with "Hitler", "Dyke", "Bin Laden", "Size Queen", "Fag", "Penises", "Cocks", "Terrorist", and "Gay Nazi" - although "Sexy", "Cock", "Gay Pride", "Homo", and "Lesbian" were all banned.

And that's what I mean by an NFL-level filtering fuckup.

Re: Story as updated since then...

[cmseward.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. Reminds me of the short-lived ploy by Nike (I think, maybe it was ReebokRBK) to let people personalize their shoes. Until someone decided to make reference to the sweat shop where they were actually made.