We have the ability to override Lightspeed's judgements, allowing websites they have blocked and vice versa. A limitation, however, is that we can only block or allow an entire domain, not part of one. For example, we could allow diceywebsite.com entirely, but we do not have the ability to allow education.diceywebsite.com while blocking the rest of the site.
If you are signed in to Lightspeed and come across a blocked website that you think should be allowed, you have the option to submit a request to allow the site. That request comes to my email; I look at the site and evaluate the site based on security, appropriate content, and educational value. Many times, however, websites seem to be blocked not because of their content, but for other reasons:
- Browser hijackers and malware - Certain websites will install code in your browser that takes any search term you enter and hijacks it to their own website. They then either show the results they have been paid to show, or try to get you to click on their ads, or at worst, install other malware or tools. Sites like trovi.com, fromdoctopdf.com, advancedmaccleaner.com, wow.com, and others fall in to this category. Even though you think you are searching for innocentwebsite.net, Lightspeed sees that the browser is requesting a link from the hijacker, and blocks the site. If you have one of these on your computer, check with your site tech assistant to get help removing it.
- Shortened URLs - Some sites that provide shortened URLs can hide their contents from Lightspeed, so the filter blocks them. The one I've seen recently is chilp.it; since Lightspeed can't see what the actual website contains, it blocks the address. Usually goo.gl and bit.ly addresses are OK in Lightspeed.
- Incorrect addresses - If you try to remember a link rather than looking it up, sometimes your brain gets it wrong. Even if you're sure that apcollegeboard.com is the address, it's actually apcentral.collegeboard.com. Sometimes your search is misspelled; Lightspeed will block freeice.com, when you meant to search for freerice.com.
- Parked domains - You're probably not the only one searching for freeice.com instead of freerice.com. Website providers often "park" domains that are common misspellings of popular sites (googel, ammazon, facebbok, etc.), so they get a free kind of advertising. Domains also get parked if the original hosted website goes out of business, moves, or otherwise removes their website. If you get a website blocked with the "parked" notification, this might be why.
- Temporary categorization - New websites appear all the time, and Lightspeed's database can't contain a list of every single website. There have been a couple of times recently where a teacher will find a site that is blocked, report it to me, but when I look at the filter a few hours later, the site is categorized correctly and allowed. Our hypothesis is that Lightspeed is trying to categorize the website based on content when it is first discovered, but then actual humans are revising the categorization a few hours later.
One final word about one of the most common requests for allowing a site. Netflix does have a good number of educationally valuable documentaries and films, but you're not allowed to use it in your classroom for licensing reasons. SVUSD does not have an institutional license for Netflix, and your personal subscription does not allow you to legally show Netflix videos in a classroom. Your best bet is to find the video you want to use some other place, where your school or department can purchase it.
If you have other questions about blocked websites or the Lightspeed filter, please let me know.
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