The internet filtering advocates are at it again… this time it’s not porn that’s the target… it’s social websites.
The Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006 (DOPA) seeks to “require recipients of universal service support for schools and libraries to protect minors from commercial social networking websites and chat rooms.” That means that for kids under 18, those customer reviews of products on Amazon you like to read while shopping… gone. Their favorite hometown blog? Gone. Their Flickr photos? Can’t get ‘em in the library. The way filtering works now is that it’s always on until someone eligible (over 18) ASKS to have the filter removed. To me this has always seemed like a punishment for people wanting to look up sensitive information at the library. Imagine if, in order to look at your favorite blogs, you had to ask the librarian to turn off the filter. No one would come to the library to use the computers anymore. This can’t be good, and is clearly against our mission to provide information access to all.
Here’s an interesting article about the bill, and a link to the text of the bill itself.
If you disagree, or even agree, with this bill, be sure to contact your legislator with your opinion.