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Libraries, Commercial Censorware & CIPA
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 11:07:52 -0400
------ Forwarded Message From: "Peter D. Junger" <junger () samsara law cwru edu> Date: Thu, 03 Jul 2003 11:16:17 -0400 To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net> Cc: junger () samsara law cwru edu Subject: Libraries, Commercial Censorware & CIPA For the IP list if you think it is suitable The New York Times has an article today with the headline: ``Libraries Planning a Meeting on Filters.'' <http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/03/national/03LIBR.html> Some of us on the CYBERIA-L discussion list have been exploring the possibility of finding or developing a free, open-source filtering system, with easily modifiable publicly available open-source blacklists that are specifically designed to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act, that would indicate to a user whenever material was censored and that would only censor ``visual depictions'' as required by CIPA and would not censor any textual material. Here are is the article: Libraries Planning a Meeting on Filters By JOHN SCHWARTZ Officials of the American Library Assocation will call a meeting with the makers of Internet filtering software next month to voice concern over a federal law that requires libraries and schools to use Internet filters or risk losing federal money. The law, the Children's Internet Protection Act, was upheld last week by the Supreme Court after the librarians challenged the law on constitutional grounds. Judith Krug, director of the Office of Intellectual Freedom at the American Library Association, said that in the meeting, tentatively scheduled for Aug. 14, librarians will ask the companies to ensure that their software can easily be turned off and on again by librarians. The group will also demand that the companies reveal their database of blocked sites to libraries so they can determine which programs best suit the libraries' needs, or they may work with third parties to develop new filtering software. "If we can't get what we want from the filtering companies, I say let's make our own," Mr. [sic -- pdj] Krug said. A representative of one of the leading filtering companies said the industry was ready to cooperate with the librarians. David Burt, a spokesman for N2H2, said his company's product made disabling the software easy. But he said there might be more disagreement about releasing the list of blocked sites, which would be valuable to the company's competitors. Besides, he noted, "we would be making available the world's largest and best collection of porn sites, and that's not the business we want to be in." ------ End of Forwarded Message ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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