WEB4LIB digest 573

[pourel at iastate.edu]

Has anyone considered that as a long-term issue  Internet censorship could
be a non-issue?

Consider, how many of you who use it regularly for work, surf for fun?  I
don't.  None of my colleagues do.  Even my husband who's major computer use
is reiterative equation computations doesn't come home and check out the
net. (Email is another matter.)  We all tried it, bookmarked a relatively
few sites of continuing interest (updated should we happen upon a link to an
interesting addition) and that's about it.

Second point.  People will find a source of materials on the subjects that
interest them.  I like lace-making so I used "lace" as a search term when
first exploring the web.  Guess what I got?  My response, back and redefine
the search "lace and bobbin or needle".  People who want pornography will
find it somewhere.  Why should the rest of us care?

3rd point.  Kids will find what they want and want what is forbidden.  My
son has accidentally surfed into some x or at least pg sites and his response
(heard from the next room) has been "yuk!", back and try a different search.
Now if I said "no sexy sites for you" guess what he'd be looking for?  
He also surfs a lot less than he used to (yes he does have a computer time
limit but not a subject limit) preferring to visit known sites in his
interest areas and or new related sites links rather than casual cruising.
Is he typical?  


Before we get hot and bothered, perhaps we should consider if there is
really a problem or just a perception of a problem.  No need to block a
perception.

   ---
I. Pour-El						pourel at iastate.edu
Reference and Instructional Services Librarian		515-294-1004
152 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011