I have an unusual question. I used to work for a company and went to their competitor. When I joined their competitor I put a block on my old company from viewing my new companies website. This was all done legit from my new companies server. Now I have my my old company hassling me about whether I blocked them from viewing the competitors website and implying that by doing so I have done something illegal. I have always thought as webmasters we have the right to block people from viewing our websites that we don't want, i.e. competitors etc. Is this not the case. I was wondering if anybody knew the legal standpoint?

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I can't see how it would be illegal...

A shop or bar can refuse right of admission, so why would a website be any different?

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Thats what I thought! I reckon its just the company venting cause they didnt know that ability was out there and didnt like it being done to them.

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I presume you simply denied their IP range from accessing your site or similar.

So long as you didn't mess with their systems I can't see the problem.
Its annoying for them no doubt but there would have been countless ways around it. View the site from home for example.

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Forbairt Media | Web Design & Development Galway / Dublin, Ireland - coming soon ... ( vague but descriptive isn't it )

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Yes I didnt use their systems at all. They tried to log on from home but I knew their ip addresses and blocked them as well. And I dont think they'd lower themselves going into an internet cafe

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Well all they had to do is log on via a mobile device ... proxy service

Strange practise though to block them or is that just me that thinks that ?

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Forbairt Media | Web Design & Development Galway / Dublin, Ireland - coming soon ... ( vague but descriptive isn't it )

Recent Work: Safari Club African Safari Holidays - Botswana Safaris

are the Ip addresses static or dynamic .
The home computer may have a dynamic IP address and if thats the case you may be blocking others from viewing the site , your new boss wont be too happy in this case.
what have you got in there states secrets , Bertie Aherns bank account details

The ip addresses are static. The new company is formed by ex staff of the first company. The owner of the old company is very paranoid and to be honest its just more fun for me picturing his face when he gets the blocked message when he's snooping on his competitors. Is that wrong? haha. We don't block anybody else from the sites. Its true they could get around it by changing their ip address but its linked to their mail system so they'd have to consult an outside I.T. firm which would cost them money.

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Overseas Property | Mortgages | Remortgages

Maybe its a travellers organistaion,

Too'd be illegal then Boss!!

Your ex-boss sounds like my ex-boss.

I would ignore his hassling and leave him to figure it out for himself.

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