There's nothing quite like the feeling of being told off by a machine, especially when you're just trying to order some chicken and chips.
That's exactly what happened to Mitchell from Sydney when he popped into his local KFC for a quick bite, only to have the self-service kiosk essentially wash his mouth out with soap.
The trouble started when Mitchell typed his perfectly ordinary name into the ordering system, only to be met with a stern digital rebuke: 'Please try again, the word is not allowed.'
His crime? Having the audacity to be named Mitchell - apparently because his name contains the word 'h*ll.'
What Mitchell experienced has a name, and it's been plaguing the internet for decades.
It's called the 'Scunthorpe problem,' named after the English town that found itself blocked by overzealous content filters because it contains an unfortunate four-letter word.
The problem occurs when automated systems designed to block offensive content cast their net so wide they catch innocent words, names, and phrases.
Recent examples include social media’s moderation system flagging posts mentioning 'Luigi' (thanks to Luigi Mangione making headlines), and even the US Department of Defense mistakenly removing references to the historic Enola Gay aircraft.
’As many services convert to digital based on human-machine communication technology, older adults face considerable challenges.’
While younger tech users might laugh off these digital hiccups, research shows older adults face particular challenges when services convert to digital systems, especially when self-ordering kiosks are made to seem familiar but don't behave as expected.
The 'digital divide' affects many seniors who struggle with accessing and using modern devices due to limited familiarity with technology, and while some have adapted, others face real difficulties navigating apps and digital tools.
Mitchell's experience resonates because it highlights how these systems can make a simple task—ordering food—unnecessarily complicated and embarrassing.
What is the Scunthorpe problem?
Named after the English town repeatedly blocked by internet filters, the Scunthorpe problem occurs when automated content filtering systems wrongly flag innocent content because it contains letter combinations that spell out prohibited words. Examples include blocking 'Cassandra' (contains '*ss'), 'Nasser' (contains '*ss'), or 'Mitchell' (contains 'h*ll').
The issue stems from using basic 'substring matching'—the oldest and most straightforward way to do automated text moderation using lists of keywords related to potentially problematic content.
As one social media user astutely observed about Mitchell's situation, 'It's just using basic substring matching of characters. Whoever got the job to program this lied on their resume.'
Source: Reddit.
More sophisticated systems use language models that consider context and culture, understanding that the same word can appear in different contexts—some problematic, others completely innocent—but many businesses still rely on the cheaper, cruder approach.
KFC itself has been struggling with customer satisfaction, experiencing monthly traffic declines of 2-12 per cent every quarter in 2024 and 2025, with overall sales down 5 per cent in 2024 and a further 4 per cent decline in early 2025.
While self-service technology is meant to improve efficiency, incidents like Mitchell's suggest it might be driving customers away.
The problem extends far beyond fast food. Social media platforms like TikTok have laid off 700 human moderators in favour of AI systems, creating what experts call a 'fighting fire with fire' mentality, using AI to moderate AI-generated content.
Did you know?
When you encounter these digital gatekeepers, here are some workarounds:
Dealing with overzealous kiosks
- Try variations of your name (like 'Mitchel' instead of 'Mitchell')
- Use initials or a shortened version when possible
- Don't take it personally - it's a programming flaw, not a judgement
- Ask staff for help - most are understanding about these technical glitches
- Consider it might be faster to order at the counter anyway
Read more: Today’s receipts are twice as long...but half as useful! Here's what's missing
Original article
Contains the word 'hell': Aussie blocked from placing KFC order after fast food giant flagged his name Mitchell as offensive
https://www.skynews.com.au/lifestyl...e/news-story/4afbd8ea0f52c706c130fe62d0a78a6e
Keyword lists and keyword filtering in 2025
'This is a complete guide to keyword filtering to text moderation through keyword filtering and keyword lists in 2025.'
https://sightengine.com/keyword-lists-for-text-moderation-the-guide
Essential Blocked Words List for FEMALE YouTube ...
'It's called the 'Scunthorpe problem,' named after the English town that found itself blocked by overzealous content filters because it contains an unfortunate four-letter word.'
https://www.dreamlikediana.com/blog/block-trolls-youtube
Essential Blocked Words List for FEMALE YouTube ...
'Recent examples include Reddit's moderation system flagging posts mentioning 'Luigi' (thanks to Luigi Mangione making headlines), and even the US Department of Defense mistakenly removing references to the historic Enola Gay aircraft.'
https://www.dreamlikediana.com/blog/block-trolls-youtube
Enhancing the Usability of Self-service Kiosks for Older Adults
'Research shows older adults face particular challenges when services convert to digital systems, especially when self-ordering kiosks are made to seem familiar but don't behave as expected.'
https://www.researchgate.net/public...ffects_of_Using_Privacy_Partitions_and_Chairs
Services Australia to bring digital kiosks, wait tracking to service centres
'The 'digital divide' affects many seniors who struggle with accessing and using modern devices due to limited familiarity with technology, and while some have adapted, others face real difficulties navigating apps and digital tools.'
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/serv...iosks-wait-tracking-to-service-centres-553466
Keyword lists and keyword filtering in 2025
'The oldest and most straightforward way to do automated text moderation is to use lists of keywords in a particular language.'
https://sightengine.com/keyword-lists-for-text-moderation-the-guide
Scunthorpe problem - Wikipedia
'The issue stems from using basic 'substring matching' - the oldest and most straightforward way to do automated text moderation using lists of keywords related to potentially problematic content.'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scunthorpe_problem
Have you had your own run-in with an overzealous computer system? We'd love to hear about your experiences—and any clever workarounds you've discovered—in the comments below!
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