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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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.
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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.
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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.
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One of many possible solutions
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
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