Northern ask travellers not to view adult content on trains

[Starmill]

Northern claims that many 'rush' to view content that is inappropriate at work on their commute, but the operator is asking commuters to extend the 'not safe for work' (NSFW) rule to trains and stations, too.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: “We welcome millions of people into our stations and on-board our trains every year – and access to safe and reliable internet is part and parcel of our customers’ expectations.

“It is important, however, that people remember that some content is not suitable for everyone to see or hear - particularly children.

“As such, if something is ‘not suitable for work’ it’s more than likely not suitable in our stations or on-board our trains either – so please wait until you get home.”

'Wait until you get home' Northern warns commuters who view inappropriate content

NORTHERN rail has issued a warning to commuters who access 'inappropriate' material while using train services.

www.warringtonguardian.co.uk

I confess to not really being sure why this has to be said. The press release genuinely leads with the expression "wait till you get home" in the headline. Wait for what

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Yikes. I agree about wondering why it has to be said!

 

[Pinus contorta]

Theres a highly visible do and don't warning on the tpe sign in page. Is there not one on Northern?

 

[AlterEgo]

You can't access adult content on train Wifi, but you can of course just use your mobile data if you really feel the need to...

 

[Watershed]

Northern seem to have a habit of making bizarre press releases. You sometimes have to wonder what exactly they expect to achieve with them?

 

[Peterthegreat]

It seems to stem from the (new?) Wi-Fi provider using a filtering system. Probably prompting a warning.

 

[RailWonderer]

Northern seem to have a habit of making bizarre press releases. You sometimes have to wonder what exactly they expect to achieve with them?

How else should they instruct passengers how to behave - by posters at stations most people won't regard? If it works for Northern to convey a message that way, they should carry on.

 

[peterblue]

Should be obvious, surely? Not sure why this needs to be said!

 

[AlterEgo]

How else should they instruct passengers how to behave - by posters at stations most people won't regard? If it works for Northern to convey a message that way, they should carry on.

People don't need to be instructed not to watch pornography on trains. It's antisocial behaviour that people will do anyway despite knowing it is antisocial.

 

[Watershed]

How else should they instruct passengers how to behave - by posters at stations most people won't regard? If it works for Northern to convey a message that way, they should carry on.

No other TOC has seen fit to issue this type of press release. I refuse to believe that this is behaviour that's unique to Northern, and in any event I suspect its prevalence has been exaggerated for dramatic effect.

Frankly I think it would be better if they focussed on things like people putting their feet on the seats.

 

[Tetchytyke]

People don't need to be instructed not to watch pornography on trains. It's antisocial behaviour that people will do anyway despite knowing it is antisocial.

I don’t think everyone thinks that far ahead, thinking others can’t see their screen. I’ve certainly seen it on intercity trains where the person turns their screen so it faces the window. Which is hilarious at night when you can see the reflection, but clearly indicates the person is not thinking. The odd release will encourage some thought.

After all, MPs look at tractors in Parliament.

 

[43066]

Northern seem to have a habit of making bizarre press releases. You sometimes have to wonder what exactly they expect to achieve with them?

What’s bizarre about it? It seems quite self explanatory to me.

Should be obvious, surely? Not sure why this needs to be said!

Should be obvious, but apparently isn’t.

I refuse to believe that this is behaviour that's unique to Northern, and in any event I suspect its prevalence has been exaggerated for dramatic effect.

What on earth would they have to gain by doing that?

 

[Starmill]

It seems to stem from the (new?) Wi-Fi provider using a filtering system. Probably prompting a warning.

That would imply that content wasn't previously being filtered. I'm not sure filtering is a new thing? I'd be amazed if any public onboard onboard WiFi is not filtered.

People don't need to be instructed not to watch pornography on trains. It's antisocial behaviour that people will do anyway despite knowing it is antisocial.

Indeed, surely everyone who knows how to leave the house by themselves knows already that it's wrong to do this. Therefore just as you say, either people would never do it regardless, or wouldn't heed a press release.

How else should they instruct passengers how to behave - by posters at stations most people won't regard?

What about perhaps putting something polite (not "don't view adult content") on the WiFi landing page? Like almost every other operator has done on their WiFi?

 

[danielcanning]

Isn't it a criminal offence to watch adult material in a public place? Outraging public decency, I believe....

 

[Peterthegreat]

That would imply that content wasn't previously being filtered. I'm not sure filtering is a new thing? I'd be amazed if any public onboard onboard WiFi is not filtered.


Indeed, surely everyone who knows how to leave the house by themselves knows already that it's wrong to do this. Therefore just as you say, either people would never do it regardless, or wouldn't heed a press release.


What about perhaps putting something polite (not "don't view adult content") on the WiFi landing page? Like almost every other operator has done on their WiFi?

I'm not sure how long Northern have had wi-fi.

 

[Watershed]

What’s bizarre about it? It seems quite self explanatory to me.

It just gives off an incredibly unprofessional image. It's like they're trying to be chiding parents or something!

What on earth would they have to gain by doing that?

Get more column inches on their press release, perhaps.

There are far more important issues out there that Northern need to be dealing with, such as the horrendous cancellation rates of services crewed out of Sheffield depot over recent weeks. To instead put out a press release like this is utterly unprofessional, and smacks of misplaced priorities. It's not the first one of its kind, either.

If they feel the need to put out anything at all, a better PR department would be apologising for their poor service and committing to how and when they're going to fix it.

 

[Bertie the bus]

These sorts of press releases are just people who don’t have useful jobs trying to justify their salary. People know not to watch porn in public, or not to spit all over platforms, or not to shout obscenities to their mates sat further down the carriage but they do it because they don’t care and some silly press release isn’t going to make them.

 

[Starmill]

I'm not sure how long Northern have had wi-fi.

Some of their trains have had it for a little over five years. New built units had it from new 2018 onwards.

 

[43066]

What about perhaps putting something polite (not "don't view adult content") on the WiFi landing page? Like almost every other operator has done on their WiFi?

Fairly obviously, the concern is material people will be accessing via their mobile data connections. The link to what’s safe to view in the work place is a pretty sensible one to draw.

It’s bizarre that something the TOC sees as a problem, presumably based on reports from its own passengers and staff, is dismissed on here as something they’ve made up/exaggerated.

It just gives off an incredibly unprofessional image. It's like they're trying to be chiding parents or something!

Or just dealing with something that, with fast modern data connections and large screen devices, is more of a problem than it used to be. Much like nobody had heard of revenge porn or up-skirting fifteen years ago, bad behaviour changes with technology.

It says something deeply worrying about the travelling public that people will openly view pornography on the train but, frankly, I’m not remotely surprised given how behaviour has declined post Covid.

Get more column inches on their press release, perhaps.

What would be the point? This is hardly good publicity, likely to encourage more people to travel. Could it be that it’s a genuine problem they’re trying to address? If this kind of thing is in the public arena, it will make it easier for people to call it out when they see it - much like the (admittedly clumsy and heavy handed) posters TfL have put up regarding unacceptable behaviour.

There are far more important issues out there that Northern need to be dealing with, such as the horrendous cancellation rates of services crewed out of Sheffield depot over recent weeks. To instead put out a press release like this is utterly unprofessional, and smacks of misplaced priorities. It's not the first one of its kind, either.

If they feel the need to put out anything at all, a better PR department would be apologising for their poor service and committing to how and when they're going to fix it.

But putting this press release out has no bearing on whether those other issues are fixed, or not!

These sorts of press releases are just people who don’t have useful jobs trying to justify their salary. People know not to watch porn in public, or not to spit all over platforms, or not to shout obscenities to their mates sat further down the carriage but they do it because they don’t care and some silly press release isn’t going to make them.

So you’d prefer nothing at all was done, then.

 

[Bertie the bus]

So you’d prefer nothing at all was done, then.

No. I would prefer it if something useful was done. Merseyrail have enforcement officers patrolling services at all times of the day and stop people acting anti-socially. Putting out a press release achieves literally nothing.

 

[Starmill]

Putting out a press release achieves literally nothing.

Claiming that many "rush" to view "not safe for work" content on their "commute" probably is at risk of putting people who would never try to off, to be honest. Other operators do this tactfully by just putting what people can and can't use the WiFi for.

 

[43066]

No. I would prefer it if something useful was done. Merseyrail have enforcement officers patrolling services at all times of the day and stop people acting anti-socially. Putting out a press release achieves literally nothing.

Well the DfT has ensured there is no money for that kind of thing, especially on a network as large as Northern’s! This is at least an easy step to take towards raising awareness of the problem, so that people will speak up, report it to guards, or text BTP etc. How can that not be a good thing?

I just find it a little odd that outrage on here is directed at the TOC rather than the fact we now live in a society where a significant proportion of the population seemingly consider this acceptable behaviour.

Claiming that many "rush" to view "not safe for work" content on their "commute" probably is at risk of putting people who would never try to off, to be honest. Other operators do this tactfully by just putting what people can and can't use the WiFi for.

The press release itself doesn’t claim that “many” do this, that’s something the paper added.

Being tactful doesn’t work. Northern, along with other TOCs nowadays, has a section of its website dedicated to safe travel, spelling out that sexual harassment is not acceptable, and that people should report any such behaviour. Would anyone seriously suggest that should be removed in case it puts people off travelling!?

This is the full release from their website. It makes clear it isn’t just dealing with porn, but that watching a violent film or video clip might be inappropriate, as might lewd jokes etc.

If it’s ‘Not Suitable For Work’ - it’s not suitable for our trains and stations either: “Wait till you get home” says Northern in content warning to customers​

Train operator, Northern is appealing to customers to extend the strict ‘not suitable for work’ (NSFW) rule regarding the viewing of content to their trains and stations too.
Content considered ‘NSFW’ can range in scale from inappropriate jokes and bad language to offensive topics and explicit material.
Whilst people are more likely to err on the side of caution at work, the rush to view content once they’ve left the workplace can mean the train journey home is often the first opportunity to take a look.
To help get their message across, Northern is reminding customers that internet in their stations and on-board their trains is delivered in partnership with ‘Friendly WiFi’ - a government-initiated safe certification standard for public WiFi.
Friendly WiFi aims to reassure users that the service meets minimum filtering standards – particularly in areas where children are present, such as in Northern’s stations and on-board their trains.
Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: “We welcome millions of people into our stations and on-board our trains every year – and access to safe and reliable internet is part and parcel of our customers’ expectations.
“It is important, however, that people remember that some content is not suitable for everyone to see or hear - particularly children.
“As such, if something is ‘not suitable for work’ it’s more than likely not suitable in our stations or on-board our trains either – so please wait until you get home.”
Bev Smith, director of Friendly WiFi, said: “We are excited to be working with Northern as a ‘Friendly WiFi’ certified train operator.
“They were passionate throughout the process to achieve the standard to ensure a great experience online for all their customers whilst travelling with them.”
Northern has been a member of the scheme, which is delivered in partnership with the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), since 2017.
Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Time for someone to do a Northern version of the famous "m**********n notice" meme?

(Google it, but perhaps at home!)

 

[johnnychips]

Frankly I think it would be better if they focussed on things like people putting their feet on the seats.

In view of the last few days, they would be better focused on providing trains with seats people could put their feet on!

 

[peterblue]

Time for someone to do a Northern version of the famous "m**********n notice" meme?

(Google it, but perhaps at home!)

Should Northern warn people who wish to join the elusive 'meter high club' also?

 

[FuzzyDuck]

You can't access adult content on train Wifi, but you can of course just use your mobile data if you really feel the need to...

You can if you use a VPN.

 

[43066]

Should Northern warn people who wish to join the elusive 'meter high club' also?

Now we know what “no hump-shunting” signs really mean .

 

[Alex C.]

I sometimes watch Netflix etc if I'm on a long journey (the SWML is a good distance for watching a film) - I do sometimes wonder if someone catches a glance of my screen at an inopportune moment they might see something which looks inappropriate.

I'm not even thinking about 18 films, I recently binge watched Breaking Bad whilst travelling and there were plenty of scenes which were unsuitable for children. I can't That said, a lot of context comes from the audio which obviously can't be heard and I only watch things when I don't have people around me so I think this would be OK. Definitely wouldn't be "safe for work" though.

 

[ChewChewTrain]

It’s concerning when people don’t know how to behave like responsible adults, or just don’t care. The presence of children when people are watching “top shelf” stuff is particularly troubling, especially since I presume that many choosing that form of “entertainment” are, shall we say, not just sitting and watching it passively.

I’m much less concerned by Breaking Bad or whatever, unless possibly you have a young child sitting right next to you (which could happen, for example at a table on a busy service). It’s great that we can all now watch whatever we want (within reason) on the train; I’d hate to see that ruined by unreasonable interference.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It’s concerning when people don’t know how to behave like responsible adults, or just don’t care. The presence of children when people are watching “top shelf” stuff is particularly troubling, especially since I presume that many choosing that form of “entertainment” are, shall we say, not just sitting and watching it passively.

This is an interesting point. Do people just sit and watch porn as a form of entertainment without engaging in any related activities that are definitely not suitable (and very illegal) on board a train?