Filter Discussion

[CMUNSON]

     I wrote:
>>     "Pornographic sites blocked on this workstation"


     Library Internet Resources Co-ordinator wrote:
     
>I'd write as "Controversial and Pornographic sites blocked on this 
>workstation" since many of the sites blocked are not pornographic, erotic 
>or even sexual.
     
     I was thinking that this would be the case if only the pornographic 
     filter was turned on. If you turn the filter on for controversial 
     views and political extremism, I hope somebody takes your library to 
     court. That would be clearly unconstitutional, if you believe in such 
     things.
     
>>     "This workstation has access to the full Internet, 
including 
>>     pornography. You have been warned."
     
>That would probably generate a few lines of folks wnateing to access the 
>machine.
     
>Now some libraries I have been to, such as San Francisco public's main 
>branch have many VT100 terminals using Lynx to access the web. This seems 
>one way to deal with offensive images.
     
     I guess that's a good use of dumb terminals, but i'd hope nobody would 
     try such an approach with a Pentium. That would be like throwing away 
     most of a book and just providing people with the table of contents.
     
     I'm a graphic designer, that's why i feel this way.
     
     Chuck Munson