[WEB4LIB] A Pornographic Website Asking Us to Filter Them

[David Atkins]

On Wed, 12 May 1999, Donald Barclay wrote:

> On a more serious note, does anyone know of any law or court cases that have
> touched on the idea of a library or computer lab being liable for fraud
> committed on public-access computers? I can just see our Library Board of
> Directors imploding when some pornography vendor sends us a bill for
> pornography fraudulently accessed via the Library's public-access computers
> or tries to sue us for the same reason.
> 

Not a court case but something in the same thread....

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville has asked the Libraries to remove
the email functions from w/in Netscape.  The rational being that
university computers must not be used for anonymous email (crank email &
death threats have been traced to Libraries PCs) or be used for anonymous
attachement of files to email messages (feared liability of someone using
Libraries' equipment to launch another "Melissa"  virus).  PC users will
still have access to anonymous email via Hotmail, Yahoo, et. al.  Is the
problem fixed?  No.  Is the University still liable?  Who knows?  Were
they ever?  Who knows?  So a few bad apples? Let's toss out the whole
barrel. 

As is my luck, I was unavailable to attend this meeting and didn't even
know the thing was taking place, so imagine my surprise when I get a "pull
the plug" message from our Systems department.  

These potential liabilities sound fearful but I haven't heard of anyone
actually testing the liability issue in the courts.  I'd be interesting in
hearing if this issue is either in the courts of if other institutions are
receiving such pressures from their administrations or what other's
thoughts may be. 

Thanks,
David

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David P. Atkins
Electronic Resources Librarian
John C. Hodges Library                            datkins at utk.edu
The University of Tennessee                    me  (423) 974-0014
Knoxville, Tennessee  37996                    fax (423) 974-9242
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