I work in a public library. Our public wifi is unsecured and filtered. That's just the way IT has it set up and branch staff can't overrride IT restrictions. If somebody wants an unfiltered or secure connection they can use one of the public desktops, but if they're using their own device it's unsecured and filtered. We have laptops patrons can check out, but since they connect to the wifi they also have only unsecured, filtered access. One of our most difficult patrons only comes in occasionally to use the wifi and always has issues. He's one of those people who questions EVERYTHING and always makes a fuss at least once per visit. The main problem is he doesn't know nearly as much as he thinks he does and won't listen to anybody. He's right and everybody else is wrong.
One day I'm working the service desk when he comes up and tells me our router is configured wrong. *um, no it's not* I ask what the problem is and he shows me a PC game he's trying to download an expansion pack for. He says because the game is rated "E" Everyone he should be able to do the download, but the filter keeps blocking him from every site he tries to go to. I ask what site he's going to and he says that shouldn't matter, the game is rated E. I try to explain that while his game is rated E, there must be other content on the site that's causing the problem, but he's not having it. "Impossible "he says, "the game is rated E! I should be able to do this! This is infringing on my rights!" Obviously the router is configured wrong and I need to tell IT that. I'm not going to bother IT to tell them the filter is working as it should and offer to help him.
So we go over to his laptop and he shows me what he's been doing. He's doing a Google search for free downloads and clicking on whatever sites come up in the results. *Gee, no way that could be the problem* So he tries to go to several different sites and the filter blocks every one, citing Adult Content as the reason. I try again to explain that OTHER content on these sites is the problem and the filter can't block just part of a site, it's all or nothing. Well, he's still not having it and comes out with this gem: "All websites have some form of adult content and if you're going to block sites on that basis you'd have to block the entire internet" Okay, I'm not going to get anywhere, so I suggest he use the "Contact Us" link on the library website to send a message to IT. Nope, he doesn't trust electronic communication. Somebody might be listening in. He wants me to talk to them. Okay, fine. I give them a call, thinking that when I tell him the pros confirmed what I said he'll believe it and get out of my hair. HAHAHA! He STILL doesn't believe it. He's just stuck on the fact his game is rated E, keeps repeating the "you'd have to block the entire internet" thing and "It's not the sites! It's the router!" IT did offer to look at the urls if I'd send them in and see if they could do anything. When I tell the patron that, it shuts things down. He says he's doing something else now and kind of dismisses me. I tell him to let us know if he needs anymore help and go back to the desk.
I still can't believe I had to call IT over this.
One day I'm working the service desk when he comes up and tells me our router is configured wrong. *um, no it's not* I ask what the problem is and he shows me a PC game he's trying to download an expansion pack for. He says because the game is rated "E" Everyone he should be able to do the download, but the filter keeps blocking him from every site he tries to go to. I ask what site he's going to and he says that shouldn't matter, the game is rated E. I try to explain that while his game is rated E, there must be other content on the site that's causing the problem, but he's not having it. "Impossible "he says, "the game is rated E! I should be able to do this! This is infringing on my rights!" Obviously the router is configured wrong and I need to tell IT that. I'm not going to bother IT to tell them the filter is working as it should and offer to help him.
So we go over to his laptop and he shows me what he's been doing. He's doing a Google search for free downloads and clicking on whatever sites come up in the results. *Gee, no way that could be the problem* So he tries to go to several different sites and the filter blocks every one, citing Adult Content as the reason. I try again to explain that OTHER content on these sites is the problem and the filter can't block just part of a site, it's all or nothing. Well, he's still not having it and comes out with this gem: "All websites have some form of adult content and if you're going to block sites on that basis you'd have to block the entire internet" Okay, I'm not going to get anywhere, so I suggest he use the "Contact Us" link on the library website to send a message to IT. Nope, he doesn't trust electronic communication. Somebody might be listening in. He wants me to talk to them. Okay, fine. I give them a call, thinking that when I tell him the pros confirmed what I said he'll believe it and get out of my hair. HAHAHA! He STILL doesn't believe it. He's just stuck on the fact his game is rated E, keeps repeating the "you'd have to block the entire internet" thing and "It's not the sites! It's the router!" IT did offer to look at the urls if I'd send them in and see if they could do anything. When I tell the patron that, it shuts things down. He says he's doing something else now and kind of dismisses me. I tell him to let us know if he needs anymore help and go back to the desk.
I still can't believe I had to call IT over this.
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