Northern Rail reveals reason certain apps are BANNED on train wifi
manchestereveningnews.co.ukNorthern Rail has revealed the reason why certain apps are banned on its on-board wifi. The train operator is the second largest in the UK, running nearly 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the north of England.
But regular customers may have noticed there are certain services which can’t be used on-board. That’s because Northern is a member of the Friendly Wifi scheme, which blocks access to websites and apps relating to a whole host of potentially NSFW content.
READ MORE: £10* unlimited day travel on Northern trains only with your Manchester Evening News The scheme describes itself as a “commitment to passengers that their online experience will be comfortable and secure”. “It won’t matter who else is travelling or who you are sat next to – for children and young people the online journey will be a safe one,” the website reads.
That includes video streaming, gambling, alcohol, adult content, pornography and nudity. The scheme also rules out software updates, file sharing services, and dating apps. “Access to safe and reliable internet is part and parcel of our customers’ expectations,” said Matt Rice, chief operating officer at Northern. “Whilst some users will operate with appropriate levels of self-moderation, some might not and it’s important that content not suitable for everyone to see or hear – particularly children – isn’t viewed on our trains. “With some of the other banned categories – it’s simply about ensuring that there is sufficient bandwidth for all our customers to use while they’re on the go.” The Friendly Wifi scheme is delivered in partnership with the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) and Northern has been a member since 2017.
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