Verizon's new website with the weird name of SugarString is prohibiting its writers from writing about internet neutrality and spying.

Patick Howell O'Neill of the Daily Dot said he received an e-mail from the editor of SugarString, identified as Cole Stryker, who said the website will focus on news about technology and culture. Stryker allegedly said stories about spying and net neutrality are off limits.

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SugarString's blacklist has raised concerns over the credibility of the new website, which seems to want to establish censorship as its priority.

This story ban has been denied by Verizon. A spokesman released a statement on behalf of the company saying SugarString is a pilot project from Verizon Wireless' marketing group designed to address tech trends, especially those of interest to its customers.

This seems to mean the site is open to all possible topics that should interest the demographics it caters to. The spokesman didn't elaborate on the statement and it's unclear what their editor really meant in the e-mail. Stryker also hasn't commented on his statement.

"It's hard to imagine anyone taking a tech news site seriously if its reporters are forbidden from covering two of the most important tech-related issues of the day," said Corynne McSherry, an intellectual property director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

"Is it afraid its reporters might uncover something Verizon would prefer to keep quiet? Or does it just want to minimize public debate on these important issues?"

SugarString has been up since this June and was promoted on Twitter beginning August. The site seems to have gone unnoticed by the tech community, however.

Tagsverizon, Editor, censorship, SugarString, website, Tech News, Net Neutrality, spying