[WEB4LIB] Report Uncovers Epidemic of Children Viewing Porn In Libraries

[Andrew Mutch]

I do not want to enter into this debate again with Mr. Burt but I found this
little fact to be most interesting:

"Considering that most of the libraries did not keep detailed records of
incidents, statistical inferences
about the number incidents are difficult to make. Nevertheless, it is worth
pointing out that the 308
libraries that responded with 450 documented incidents represent slightly more
than 2% of the
nation's 14,945 public libraries. 17 The true number of public library Internet
pornography incidents
is at minimum in the tens of thousands." --
http://www.filteringfacts.org/da-main.htm

So....based on reports from 2% of the public libraries in the country, we are
able to claim an "Epidemic of Children Viewing Pornography"???

I don't have a background in analyzing statistical information but I think I can
safely say that these numbers have almost no value without any greater context
with which to evaluate them.  How large was the overall number of users and what
percentage of that population did this represent??

By my math, each library reported slightly more than 1 "Internet pornography
incident".  I would be curious to see if any of these libraries also ever
reported other "deviant" behavior -- such as indecent exposure -- and how often
that occured?  If each library had reported 1 indecent exposure would we be
reporting on the epidemic of indecent exposures in public libraries??  You may
think I'm being flip but when this issue came up when I was serving on my local
library board, one parent raised the issue that "pornography on the Internet"
would lead to an increase in other inappropriate behavior, like indecent
exposure.  However, in fact, the opposite was true.  Since the Internet has come
into the library, there have been no indecent exposure incidents.  In the past,
their had been several but at no time did anyone ever consider it an epidemic.

Mr. Burt has an agenda and I think anyone reading this report should keep that in
mind when weighing "the facts" and conclusions he reaches.

Andrew Mutch
Library Systems Technician
Waterford Township Public Library

Comments expressed are definitely my own and not those of my employer.