[Web4lib] the efficacy of filtering software

[Bret Parker]

Other opinions are available:

United States v. American Library Association, 539 U.S. 194; 123 S. Ct.
2297; 2003 U.S. LEXIS 4799 (2003). 
[http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/02pdf/02-361.pdf ; last accessed
29 June 2006]


Apart from what is or isn't done in Libraries, if the heart of the
question posted is really about filters as a non-library issue (perhaps
the motivation of the request is truly to understand filters and not to
know what libraries do with them), consider:

Steven E. Merlis, "Preserving Internet Expression While Protecting
Our Children: Solutions Following Ashcroft v. ACLU," 4 Nw. J of Tech.
& Intell. Prop. 117 (2005) [
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/journals/njtip/v4/n1/6 ; last
accessed 28 June 2006 ]

And if there are questions about philosophy departing from the standard
Freedom to Read Statement of ALA or why one would even consider any
thing different than a statement written in 1953, read the introductory
remarks of:

Kevin W Saunders, Saving our children from the First Amendment (New
York: New York University Press, 2003). 

 Bret Parker


>>> "K.G. Schneider" <kgs at bluehighways.com> 7/5/2006 8:53:02 AM >>>
Basically filters haven't changed much in the decade since I wrote
about
them in "A Practical Guide to Internet Filters." It is more that the
library
environment has changed. 

I find it a fascinating example of format bias in our profession that
a
library will go to bat over the censorship of one book, but accept a
level
of error in blocking on the Web that would have a couple books censored
for
every range. I often hear from people who tell me that they can't get
to X
site because of their library's filters, or that the newsletter I
produce is
blocked because we discussed X. But then, I also hear from libraries
that
say they "can't" link to my workplace's website because we have the
word
"gay" on the front page. 

Here's a post I wrote over two years ago that sums up my current
thinking
about filtering (apologies for the trackback spam--which I should have
filtered ;> ):

http://freerangelibrarian.com/2003/11/filtering_the_lowdown_truth.php 


Karen G. Schneider
kgs at bluehighways.com 


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