A loophole in Auckland Council's free wireless internet is allowing users access to pornographic images.
While pornographic sites are blocked, graphic images are still accessible in search engine image results at Auckland Libraries.
The flaw in the system was first discovered by users accessing Devonport Library’s Wi-Fi.
Auckland Council has today released a statement saying that by viewing such images, users are going against terms and conditions agreed to by service users.
"One of the terms and conditions is that they will not use the free Wi-Fi to view objectionable material," said North & West Libraries manager of customer experience Darryl Soljan.
He said all Auckland public libraries operate under the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act.
"Under this Act, a publication is objectionable if it describes, depicts, expresses, or otherwise deals with matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty, or violence in such a manner that the availability of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good."
Mr Soljan said library staff would be intervening if they noticed objectionable content being viewed, or if customers alert them to such use.
"As with all such software globally, nothing is 100 percent foolproof," he said.
"Because these images are viewed on the search engine website, the only way to prevent any situation involving objectionable material would be to blacklist the search engine entirely.”
The libraries' free Wi-Fi platform holds the same terms and conditions for the internet service which the council provides at various hotspots around Auckland.
3 News
