YouTube access blocked

Discussions about Internet service providers (ISPs), the Meetinghouse Firewall, wired and wireless networking, usage, management, and support of Meetinghouse Internet
jcoleymail
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YouTube access blocked

#1

Post by jcoleymail »

I recently became aware of the mandate to block YouTube for all meetinghouse internet.

However, it's been brought to my attention there are many embedded videos on lds.org which now cannot be accessed. For example, the Young Women Resource Guide for 2012 http://lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/conten ... f?lang=eng links media in each lesson to lds.org, which in turn is linked to videos on YouTube.

It's causing quite a bit of confusion for our scouts, seminary teachers, etc. Is there going to be a 'whitelist' of approved videos on YouTube, or will this media be relocated to the Church infrastructure?

Alternatively, is there an approved software for downloading these videos and sending them via sneakernet (email/USB/etc.) into the building?
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Mikerowaved
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#2

Post by Mikerowaved »

jcoleymail wrote:Alternatively, is there an approved software for downloading these videos and sending them via sneakernet (email/USB/etc.) into the building?
There are several pretty good free programs you can try, such as THIS one, or THIS one. (I've used the former with good success, but not tried the latter.) As often is the case with freeware products, just watch the installer pretty close and uncheck any optional software or toolbars they might offer.

And since you probably won't be installing it on a church computer, it doesn't necessarily need to be church "approved" software.
So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
russellhltn
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#3

Post by russellhltn »

Mikerowaved wrote:As often is the case with freeware products, just watch the installer pretty close and uncheck any optional software or toolbars they might offer.
And read the ELUA closely to see if you're about to allow it to install more stuff, as in ad-supported software. (Made that mistake once...)
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
nmecantwin73
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#4

Post by nmecantwin73 »

jcoleymail wrote:However, it's been brought to my attention there are many embedded videos on lds.org which now cannot be accessed. For example, the Young Women Resource Guide for 2012 http://lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/conten ... f?lang=eng links media in each lesson to lds.org, which in turn is linked to videos on YouTube.
Generally, most of the videos found on the Church's YouTube channel are also found in the LDS.org Media Library, as well as in the video section of MormonChannel.org. Both are accessible through the meetinghouse internet firewall. If you can't find the one you are looking for, just try searching LDS.org for the title of the video. This is how I was able to help a Young Women leader minutes before her lesson was to start.

I submitted feedback last year about the videos in the lesson resource guides being on YouTube, therefore not accessible in meetinghouses. Hopefully, those "in-the-know" will make the appropriate changes to link to these videos instead of to YouTube.
natet
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Location: Richland, Washington, USA

#5

Post by natet »

nmecantwin73 wrote:Generally, most of the videos found on the Church's YouTube channel are also found in the LDS.org Media Library, as well as in the video section of MormonChannel.org. Both are accessible through the meetinghouse internet firewall.

Unfortunately, many of the videos on both these locations are now being served up from Youtube. In the past, I simply used a browser add on to download the video from Youtube, but it was brought to my attention that this is a violation of the Youtube Terms of Service. From section 5 of the Youtube TOS:
Content is provided to you AS IS. You may access Content for your information and personal use solely as intended through the provided functionality of the Service and as permitted under these Terms of Service. You shall not download any Content unless you see a “download” or similar link displayed by YouTube on the Service for that Content. You shall not copy, reproduce, distribute, transmit, broadcast, display, sell, license, or otherwise exploit any Content for any other purposes without the prior written consent of YouTube or the respective licensors of the Content.
So, for us to download a video from Youtube, we either need explicit written consent by the Church (as the licensor) to do so, or the Church needs to set up the videos with a download link.
russelljd
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#6

Post by russelljd »

natet wrote:Unfortunately, many of the videos on both these locations are now being served up from Youtube.

The Media Library section of LDS.org (http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/) does NOT use YouTube for any of its videos. Also, if the video is available for download, there will be a download link below the player which offers several different files for download. If a video does not have download options, it generally means that the church does not own the necessary rights to make a file available for download.
natet
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#7

Post by natet »

Since you work in the media services group, I expect you know. Here is why I got the impression otherwise. Go to the media library. In the search bar, type "Expressions of Love" The only results that come from that search are embedded youtube videos.
rickk
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Location: Ridgefield, WA, USA

#8

Post by rickk »

I am a bit confused as to why we have all the church videos on lds.org linked to youtube if they are also available on the media library directly from the church. We get TONS of questions from folks trying to play these videos during seminary or Sunday lessons and not being able to do because youtube is blocked. If the videos were instead linked to the media library, or if there was at least a "big red button" on the home page that we could point them to, it would be helpful. Just last night, I was at the church doing some testing and did what a teacher would normally do - go to lds.org, click on the bible videos and try to play one (it worked at home, right?). I get the filtered content page with no indication that I should go to the media library instead.
jdlessley
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#9

Post by jdlessley »

I am not a Church employee and do not have direct access to the rational for the hosting decision. But from observation and comments made from Church employees on these forums in regard to other server use issues I make the following observation and conclusion. An ongoing issue in recent history is that the Church servers experience load demands they cannot handle. Hosting these videos for the entire world to access would most likely cripple the Church servers from the demand. Youtube has server capacity to handle high demands such as needed to offer these videos. Having the videos hosted on Youtube also provides more public exposure for these videos. The unfortunate side effect is the denied access through Church firewalls.

The Websense filtering message displayed for blocked sites is a generic message. Websense categorizes sites to determine the accessibility. I doubt there is a capability in the current service to determine the site blocked and then display a customized message. I agree this is an inconvenience to which the solution has only limited distribution. Very few members are aware of where or how to access the videos from an alternate, unblocked web site.
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
rickk
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Location: Ridgefield, WA, USA

#10

Post by rickk »

That makes lots of sense, so is there a way to enable a "sub area" of youtube for viewing inside the firewall? For example, if all of the messages are in youtube.com/ldschurch/..., is it possible to enable those but not all of youtube? If we are just stuck, then I guess I will tell teachers to go to the Media Library under the Menu pull down.
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