Stop the Filtering Discussion?

[Filtering Facts]

With regards to the relevance of filtering:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 1998
Contact: John Albaugh
(202)225-2132
Istook Acts to Protect Children From Internet Obscenity 

Washington, D.C. - Children will be better protected from obscenity on the
Internet, under a measure authored by Representative Ernest Istook (R-OK)
and approved Tuesday by a House subcommittee.
It requires filtering software to be installed by public schools and
libraries which receive federal funds for computers. The software would
restrict computer access by minors to obscene or pornographic material.
"The Internet is a great educational resource," Istook commented, "but it's
also overflowing with pictures and material that shouldn't be available to
our kids. Even an innocent search will often take a computer user to these
sites. Unless we use special software, this pornography can pop up on the
screen even when a child is not looking for it. And we also want to remove
the temptation, so kids won't be trying to find it. When our tax money is
used to provide Internet access, it must also protect our children from
obscenity."
Istook said the cost of the software is minimal because it's already common
and is sold by many vendors, and the filter programs can be licensed at bulk
rates.
The legislation provides that, if necessary, a school or library can provide
an adult to help access non-obscene web sites that are inadvertently blocked
by the software filter.
Istook successfully offered the language as an amendment to the
appropriations bill for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. It
was approved by the subcommittee, and next goes to the full House
Appropriations Committee, and then to the full House.

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David Burt	President, Filtering Facts
Website: 	http://www.filteringfacts.org
E-Mail:  	David_Burt at filteringfacts.org
Phone/Fax:	503 635-7048