The group goes on to say it will not ban any other sites featuring the "Virgin Killer" cover image, putting to rest discussion of a , which had hosted the image on its store pages.

"IWF's overriding objective is to minimize the availability of indecent images of children on the Internet. However, on this occasion, our efforts have had the opposite effect," the IWF concedes. "We regret the unintended consequences for Wikipedia and its users."

Wikimedia's Response

The Wikimedia Foundation is already expressing its gratitude and "applauding" the IWF's reconsideration.

"We recognize the good intentions of Internet watch groups, including their focus on blocking and discouraging illegal content," says Mike Godwin, general counsel of the Wikimedia Foundation. "Nevertheless, this incident underscores the need for transparency and accountability in the processes of the Internet Watch Foundation and similar bodies around the world."