cyberfiltering: (anybody else ...)

[scharles]

As a general proposition, I think "cyberfiltering" is something of a waste
of time, except that it might be a cash cow for those who sell the software.
Having said that, there are some points that I think are important.

At the library I work at, we have two types of public access internet
connections:  those in the main reference area, and those in the childrens
section.  

I think it would be inappropriate for the children to be reading erotic
literature.  I think it would be inapropriate to introduce it to them, or
make it available to them.  I would also not make cigars available to them,
or whiskey.

I smoke the occasional cigar, and I like Van Winkles 19 year old Bourban
(any comment beyond this would be immodest).  Whenever possible (and
practical), I like to decide for myself what is, or is not, appropriate for
my personal consumption.  

When the children are older, I hope they come to enjoy life as much as I
have, in their own way, and in their own time.

I still think the real solution to this issue is software that allows
librarians to apply whatever standard they feel best expresses the fullness
of their library mission statement.

And I still think that erotic literature, and anything else, can be
considered information to the degree that it reduces uncertainty.

Good luck to all of you in your professional endevors.

Scott Charles

At 09:53 PM 4/26/97 -0700, you wrote:
>DBurt has dropped the challenge. He says that more and more librarians are
>speaking up in favor of filtering (whether or not we know or care what the
>filter providers think is worthy of filtering).
>
>I, and I believe others, have dropped out of this fight because it's obvious
>that people like DBurt and Ronnie Morgan think cybercensorship is a Good Thing
>(tm) and none of us are going to convince them otherwise.
>
>Unfortunately, we're giving the wrong impression by not arguing. "Keep up the
>fight, we're winning" says DBurt. So, for the record: I think cyberfiltering
>is the wrong thing to do on public Internet terminals. Anybody else?
>
>Jennifer Heise,