Filtering software & librarian reviewers

[CMUNSON]

I had a long talk with a filter vendor today in which we frequently circled 
back to a familiar topic: what they perceive as their need to keep their 
site list private (it's proprietary, they pay to build it) and what I 
perceive as our need to make these lists public (information should be 
accessible, we should know what we block).
     
One of the offers this vendor made was to consider having a team of 
librarians periodically review this company's site list.  I am not sold on 
this approach, but I think the offer should be considered, if only for the 
information we would gain from such a project.
     
Anyone interested?  Email me personally at kgs at bluehighways.com .
     
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Karen G. Schneider * kgs at bluehighways.com * schneider.karen at epamail.epa.gov 
Author, The Internet Access Cookbook (e-mail Neal-Schuman at icm.com) 
Director, US EPA Region 2 Library Contractor, Garcia Consulting
Cybrarian * Columnist, American Libraries
Visit our library at http://www.epa.gov/Region2/library/ 
These opinions strictly mine!
     
     
     Karen. I hate to say this, but you are soliciting librarians to act as 
     censors. Any partnership with these folks that sell censorware adds 
     legitimacy to their technology. I can understand and sympathize with 
     librarians who are under pressure about their public access internet 
     connections, but working with people who's goal is to sell software 
     that restricts access to information is akin to trading with the 
     enemy.
     
     I just read another message about RSAC ratings and Internet 
     "Explorer." Yeah, these ratings like PICS and RSAC are "voluntary," 
     but what do you do as a web site administrator who won't rate your 
     site, when one of the browser manufacturers (Microsoft) develops a 
     browser that has a built in default to screen out all sites without 
     ratings? These standards, if they are adopted in a widespread fashion, 
     could become de facto "licenses to publish." What if ratings are 
     mandated by law? What if Netscape and Microsoft are required to 
     produce browsers that won't allow you to browse non-rated sites?
     
     I know that most web sites aren't rated, but we're talking here about 
     the first pebbles in a potential avalanche. We're already losing the 
     battle to keep the net censors out of the public libraries. What's 
     next?
     
     Chuck Munson