Should public libraries allow access to unfiltered materials?

[Kadie]

Should public libraries allow access to unfiltered materials?
Choice Votes Percentage of 621 Votes
Yes 199 32%
No 422 68%


This survey is with this story....


Mother, Children See Porn On Library Computer
Some Counties Do No Filter Computer Materials

POSTED: 4:27 pm PST March 31, 2005
UPDATED: 5:40 pm PST March 31, 2005

SACRAMENTo -- A Vacaville mother hopes her shocking experience at a county library will change the way people search the Internet.

When Toni Horn and her daughters went to Vacaville's Town Square Library last Saturday, they went online to look for children's books, Horn said, but instead saw something very adult.


"There was a young boy (next to us), who I believe was a minor, looking at pornography. I looked at my kids, and my 9-year-old daughter was staring right at it," Horn said.


The boy was asked to leave, but Horn said her feeling of unease didn't go away. She now wants the library to block porn.


snip...
Legal experts say libraries can choose whether to filter pornographic material. According to McGeorge law professor Leslie Jacobs, "libraries may constitutionally choose to exclude pornography from both their print and Internet offerings. Libraries may exercise broad discretion in choosing what material to include in their collections."

more...
http://www.thekcrachannel.com/news/4336426/detail.html

[nickinSTL]

1. Mother, Children See Porn On Library Computer

Mother, Children See Porn On Library Computer
Some Counties Do No Filter Computer Materials

then, they are violating federal law.

There is a REQUIREMENT for all internet terminals to now have filters installed. The filters can be turned off for adults by request, however.

[LostinVA]

5. Link?

Our library doesn't sue any filters whatsoever.

[prolesunited]

7. Actually, that's only for libraries

that receive federal funding, which is quite minimal. Some libraries have opted out of those funds to maintain local control and develop local solutions for the dealing with the issue.

And, whether or not the filters get turned off for adults is a local decision. The law doesn't mandate that.

Do you realize how fallible filters are and what the problems with mandating a cookie-cutter approach for libraries nationwide is?

Who defines porn? We all probably agree on the hard-core stuff, but what about naked breasts on medical site showing how to do a self-examine. You know many on the far-right would consider that porn. Just look at Ashcroft and the blue drapes.

[Q3JR4]

8. Wasn't that the same law

declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court a couple of years ago?

I know they passed one law that was struck down and then congress passed another law which, again, was struck down.

[napi21]

2. Why couldn't the access just be password protected?

I can understand a parent wanting restricted access for their 12 or 14 year old, but as I understand it, the restriction is based upon certain words, so a Junior HS student wouldn't be able to do their biology research at the library because it involves breeding, sex, etc.

I would think they could simply isssue passwords after checking some kind of ID.

[LostinVA]

3. {Porn" Blockers also block lots of progressive sites

Especially gay and lesbian issues and feminist issues, including breast cancer websites. So, the answer is NO.

At the library I work at, we have our "regular" pron viewers. We told them they had to look at it at computers in the stacks where no one else can see it. If people are looking at it where other people can see, someone should tell a librarian ASAP.

We librarians are all against this stuff -- it just doesn't work.

[LostinVA]

4. Self Delete

Double-posted.

[Q3JR4]

6. I know that some people don't want their children

exposed to pornographic material--and that's their choice, but
the software that blocks pornography also blocks information sites that people need to have access to to protect and inform themselves.

The question seems to be, do we block offensive sites some of which (mistakenly blocked) will provide valuable information for an X percentage of the population and lead to better choises thereby prolonging their lives, or do we make the parents get involved with what their children are doing?

[WillowTree]

9. Since most libraries are locally owned and funded...

....each should be allowed to determine what material they wish to make available based on local needs, standards and ordinances.

[adwon]

13. Yep

That's just a part of decentralization.

[solinvictus]

10. If they install blockers..

where would the Bob Boudelang-types get access to Bigboobs.com and other "educational" sites?

[prolesunited]

11. More information on this topic

What is an Internet filter? How does it work?
Filtering or blocking technology restricts access to Internet content through a variety of means. Two basic types of filters currently dominate the market: filters that block content containing disapproved words (keyword blocking) and filters that block access according to a list of disapproved sites (site blocking). In either case, the filter manufacturer, in its own way and according to its own standards, determines which words or sites will be blocked. Regardless of their methods, filters underblock and overblock, and all block constitutionally protected speech.


What is the American Library Association's position on filtering?
The American Library Association (ALA) does not endorse using Internet filters in libraries, because they block access to information that is legal and useful. Filters are known to block a wide range of sites, including the FBI, eBay, Planned Parenthood, The Bible and others with information many people find helpful for school, work, health and other needs.

The ALA also is concerned that the use of filters may give parents a false sense their children are protected when this is not the case. Filters are not effective in blocking all "objectionable" material, and they do not protect against pedophiles and other interactive aspects of the Internet.

The ALA strongly believes that educating children to use the Internet wisely is their best protection, now and in the future.

http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=cipa&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=80527

[Not Me]

12. Our library (Orlando FL) has separate children's/teens/adult

computer sections....with filters set accordingly.

[Xithras]

14. There's such an easy solution to this...

Break the computers apart...have both filtered and unfiltered computers available. Limit kids under 16 to the filtered computers UNLESS their parents sign off on an all-access pass that will allow them to use the unfiltered computers.