How The U.S. Can Stop Internet Censorship

from the stop-being-hypocritical dept

Following yesterday's news of the Supreme Court agreeing to review the library filtering case, it seems that plenty of people have an opinion on the subject. Earlier today, I posted a story about how the filters just don't work, and here's another great opinion piece pointing out that the US government is being incredibly hypocritical in pushing for these library filters at the same time they're complaining about China's efforts to block access to certain internet sites. The writer points out that using filters "is particularly inappropriate in schools, which are supposed to teach children how to analyze information and form their own opinions."
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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 13 Nov 2002 @ 11:14am

    No Subject Given

    So your saying 12 year olds NEED to see pictures of bestiality in order to put their intellectual minds to work? Perhaps they need to see some child rape videos to help them conduct their research into why they shouldn't take rides from strangers? Don't worry. Your pervertions will be safe at home. I'm sorry if schools are not willing to allow you to masturbate freely but life is just that unfair. Surpressing politcal speech is different than blocking orgy sites or hate literature?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Andy, 13 Nov 2002 @ 11:21am

      Re: No Subject Given

      Personally, I'd rather err on the side of nothing being censored rather than err on the side of the wrong things being censored. Once the wrong things are censored, how do you know?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 13 Nov 2002 @ 11:27am

        Re: No Subject Given

        If you're in America it should say the site is blocked. If you're in China it tells you that the goverment is great.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Joe Schmoe, 13 Nov 2002 @ 11:26am

      Re: No Subject Given

      We who are against filters are simply trying to express that said filters are not a replacement for human supervision and guidance. And that FILTERS DO NOT WORK. This, as with many other parental responsibilities, is not a task that can be passed off onto a machine. Sorry.

      My childs PC is under our noses, in plain view, in the living room, and will remain so until such time that I trust his judgements with random material.

      Library filters are not necessary. Put the damn machines in plain view of everyone instead of allowing private / cubicled viewing - the "problem" will take care of itself.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Dr_Stein, 13 Nov 2002 @ 1:44pm

      Re: No Subject Given

      Very simple. Make sure the computers are in a very public area where nobody has a "private" area.
      I have never EVER seen anybody trying to look at porn in the library. Why? Notes saying "no porn" near the computers may help.

      How about the fact that people sometimes have COMMON SENSE and not everyone going to use library computers is some sort of pervert that wants to look at goat porn? Did anybody ever think of that?

      We don't need more laws to protect people from themselves.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Nov 2002 @ 11:12am

    not egalitarian, but

    why exactly do libraries need an internet connection?

    Computers capable of diplaying just about anything on the web are available for from free to $100.

    Internet connections are not that expensive.

    I find it hard to believe that someone that can't get it together to afford these things is doing research of great importance that requires unlimited access to the internet. Books are a far more reliable source of information anyway.

    Libraries should only have text-based catalog search engines and possibly some dedicated graphics machines running predetermined software. Libraries do not currently subscribe to/contain every single known magazine and book, nor do they offer free long ditance phone calls. Why should they have an internet connection which will probably mostly be used by people checking their email?

    If you argue that there is useful data out there, and I would, then submit a request to open that domain/IP, as you would do to get a new book or magazine at the library. You could start off with opening all the .edu and .gov sites, and go from there.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    shad0cat, 7 Aug 2008 @ 6:32pm

    One of many possible solutions

    I agree. It is so hypocritical of our government here in America to be slamming china and then censoring our stuff here. Sadly in a few more years we won't have the internet as we know it. It's going to be prepackaged like cable. Yuk! Not too many people really know what to do about the problem, but I figure the first thing that needs to happen is that the masses need to be informed that it's happening in the first place.

    Here's a fun way to help.If you make videos and want to help end internet censorship www.infowars.com and www.prisonplanet.com are running a contest for cash prizes. The goal is to get the word out and expose internet censorship and the comming internet 2 that will be the end of the internet as we know it. Don't let our internet die!

    details are here

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_8qaGMQJdY

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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