The Register is a fucking awful source. This incomprehensible story mixes up several things. That's a shame, because the UK filter system and proposals are important enough to warrant careful scrutiny and write ups - allowing people to protest against what's actually happening rather than what some garbled turd of an article suggests.

1) This is voluntary - but is opt-out.

2) It will be on by default for new users, but not for existing users.

3) Some sites are blocked because court orders require them to be blocked. You cannot opt out of those blocks, although you can access those sites via proxies etc.

HN would be better without articles from the Register.