The Internet Watch
Foundation (IWF)has lifted a ban on a
"pornographic" Wikipedia image.
The online encyclopedia appealed against the ban on an image of
a naked young girl used on the cover of the 1976
"Virgin
Killer" album by German heavy metal band,
The
Scorpions.
Most UK internet service providers blocked access to the image
and text of the Wikipedia entry on The Scorpions after the IWF
blacklisted the image.
UK Wikipedia users were up in arms after 95% were blocked from
accessing the article and Wikipedia founder
Jimmy Wales told Channel 4 News he was considering challenging
the ban.
"The IWF was clearly over-reaching its remit when it blocked the
text page on Wikipedia - there is nothing illegal about the
description of the album. I would also question its wisdom in
trying to block the image itself," he said.
The IWF said in a statement it had decided to lift the ban "in
light of the length of time the image has existed and its wide
availability".