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Definition: Scunthorpe Problem


The false positives that arise when spam filter algorithms erroneously detect obscenities and block websites, search results or emails. The term arose when AOL's filter prevented residents of Scunthorpe, England from opening accounts. Google later kept businesses in the town from appearing on the search results list. The trigger was the four letters beginning with "c" in the town's name. See spam filter and obscenity filter.