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1. 

   Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2002 @ 9:02am

   
   

   Filters help but are not the ultimate solution

   Most parents do not want their children looking at pornography. Filters help block alot of the questionable material. It is unfortunate that it blocks some legitimate materials such art and medical information. The filters are put up so perverts don't leave pictures of bestiality and pedophilia on computers. The library is a place of learning it is not a sex club. Until a better alternative is found filters should be used. I agree that it's possible to get around the filters but that doesn't mean that nothing should be done at all simply because filter technology is the completely flawless. Do you use a firewall? Is it without flaw? Should firewalls be also not be used? They're not perfect after all.

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2. 

   Mike (profile), 1 Aug 2002 @ 9:11am

   
   

   Re: Filters help but are not the ultimate solution

   The problems, as I see it are twofold:
   
   (1) The filters block so much legitimate information that a child might specifically go to the library to see, that it's extremely problematic. Many of these filters block things like Planned Parenthood. What if the child is in a situation where knowing what Planned Parenthood has to say would be very useful - and they certainly don't want to look it up at home? Yes, firewalls aren't without flaws, but the benefits outweight the costs. I believe the costs outweigh the benefits in library filtering.
   
   (2) The law was going to force this on all libraries, despite the libraries own wishes. I would think this sort of thing is a decision that each community should be able to make on its own, based on its own standards.

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3. 

   Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2002 @ 10:54am

   
   

   Re: Filters help but are not the ultimate solution

   > The filters block so much legitimate information that a child might specifically go to the library to see...< br>
   I don't think the filters would negatively effect most elementary and jr high students. I think the filters would more likely effect highschool students and beyond. Young children aren't necessarily looking for porn but porn finds its way to them (whitehouse.com). It's the older children and the adults that concern me the most. Planned Parenthood is offensive to some but it shouldn't be filtered. It is not Hustler. Any filtering software should be able to unblock/block sites as needed. The problem is the few freaks that are going to get off leaving smut on computers or showing to children.
   
   
   >... think this sort of thing is a decision that each community should be able to make...
   
   Every town should not be ruled like an independant country. I'd hope that we don't have communities that feel adults have the right to masturbate in a library or show porn to children. The people that wish to do these things need to take it back home or another non-public area.

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4. 

   Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2002 @ 12:32pm

   
   

   Re: Filters help but are not the ultimate solution

   You are an idiot.

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