IP: NET RESTRICTIONS: BRING 'EM ON!

[David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

The Freedom Forum's second State of the First Amendment report
asked 57 questions of 1,001 adults, finding that a good number
favor government regulation of the Internet and other forms of
media.  The report shows that about 75 percent of those surveyed
are opposed to giving people the freedom to place "sexually
explicit" content on the Internet, while just 10 percent of those
surveyed adamantly believe that people should have the right to
do so.  The government should come up with a scheme for rating
online content, and public libraries should not allow access to
offensive Web sites, say 58 percent of those surveyed.  The
report also shows that 30 percent of those polled are opposed to
permitting news organizations reporting or publishing "what they
think is appropriate."  The report's findings indicate that free
speech is under attack, says Paul McMasters, First Amendment
ombudsman at the Freedom Forum, who calls the report "very
depressing."  (Wired News 10/19/99)