Mike sez,
This overview from Techdirt covers the disturbing practice taken by some providers of free WiFi hotspots: restrictive content filtering. In my book, Wi-Fi Toys, I discussed how network operators can build a free Wi-Fi hotspot and share their Internet connection with a wildly useful free program called Nocat.
Unfortnuately, hotspot gateways like Nocat can also give owners the ability to block sites and restrict surfing to a "walled garden" of accepted destinations. The walled garden idea was meant to give site owners the ability to create a sort of free preview of the Internet where you can perhaps check the weather, read the iHop menu, the local paper, or other casual internet destinations without having to register or sign on to the network.
I suggest people log off and take their business elsewhere.
(Thanks, Mike!)
