Joint Statement Opposing Legislative Requirements for School and Library Internet Blocking Technologies
Joint Statement Opposing Legislative Requirements for
School and Library Internet Blocking Technologies
With the United States Congress' passage of legislation requiring
the use of Internet blocking technologies in all public schools and
libraries participating in certain federal programs, it has become clear
that these schools and libraries are facing a variety of challenges.
The following individuals and organizations oppose mandatory Internet
blocking technology requirements in public schools and libraries because
blocking technologies:
- Underblock what they are supposed to block
- Overblock what they are not supposed to block
- Rely on subjective "expert" control
- Are error-prone, vulnerable, problematic, and unfairly discriminatory
- Deny access to constitutionally protected and educationally important materials that schools and libraries would otherwise provide
We also believe government-mandated censorship does not solve
problems better handled through local decision making and
educational efforts.
The undersigned organizations and individuals commit to working
together on the legal challenges to legislation requiring
Internet blocking technology.
We commit to a public education campaign on the effects of
blocking technology on online access, free speech rights, and civil
liberties of students and library patrons. We commit to sharing
effective strategies to assist young people in learning to use
the Internet safely and effectively to enhance their education.
We will share our research and documentation and will provide
educational materials and consulting services to school and library
administrators, the general public, and the media. Our goal is to
educate everyone potentially affected by the operation of Internet
blocking technology in public schools and libraries, regardless of
the outcome of legal challenges to legislative requirements for the
use of Internet blocking technology.
Any individuals or organizations in agreement with this joint
statement are welcome to sign on by sending an email to
statement@onlinepolicy.org.
Organizational Endorsers--
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American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression
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American Civil Liberties Union
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American Society of Journalists and Authors
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Aplomb Consulting
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Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center
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Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF)
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Billy DeFrank Lesbian and Gay Community Center
-
Boston Coalition for Freedom of Expression
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California Association of Library Trustees and Commissioners (CALTAC)
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California Democratic Party, Computer & Internet Caucus
-
Censorwatch.org
-
Center for Media Education
-
Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE)
-
Community United Against Violence
-
Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility
-
Electronic Frontier Foundation
-
Electronic Privacy Information Center
-
First Amendment Project
-
Free Congress Foundation
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Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society of Northern California
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Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
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Global Effort to Eradicate Know-nothings (GEEK Force)
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Harvey Milk Institute
-
Horizons Foundation
-
Journalism Education Association
-
Legal Aid Society Employment Law Center
-
National Center for Lesbian Rights
-
National Coalition Against Censorship
-
NetAction
-
Online Internet Institute
-
Online Policy Group
-
Out and Equal Workplace Advocates
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Peacefire
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People for the American Way Foundation
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Queer Cultural Center
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Rock Out Censorship
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SafeWeb
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San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Committee Inc.
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Spectrum Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns
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Youth Free Expression Network (YFEN), a project of the Free Expression Policy Project
Individual Endorsers--
(asterisk indicates endorsement
is from individual with organization
listed only for purposes of identification)
-
Donald A. Barclay, MA, MLIS, Galveston, TX
-
Wendy Bjork, Paraeducator III, Computer Tech, OUHSD,
Oxnard CA
-
Lee Braiden, Web Developer
-
Hank Bromley,
Center for the Study of Technology in Education, State University of New York at Buffalo*
-
Jennifer D. Burke, Atlanta, GA
-
Brett J. Carpenter
-
Frank C. Carr,
Middletown, RI
-
Doris Cassidy,
Yuma, AZ
-
Terry Dawson, Appleton Public Library*, WI
-
Samuel Day, Santa Monica, CA
-
Jaap de Wreede, Reporter, Utrecht, the Netherlands
-
Wilfred (Bill) Drew, SUNY Morrisville College Library*
-
Kelly Dunn, Publications Editor, University of Central Florida*, Orlando, FL
-
Elizabeth H. Eason, Attorney at Law, Atlanta, GA
-
M. Eise, St. Louis, MO
-
Seth Finkelstein,
2001 EFF Pioneer Award winner
-
Nathan Finn,
Indiana
-
Janice Friesen,
Instructional Specialist in Educational
Technology
-
Denise A. Garofalo, Marlboro, NY
-
Debbie Grant, Librarian, Canaan Public Library, Canaan, ME
-
Randy S. Green, Houston Independent School District*
-
Karen Guma, Head Librarian, Bishop O'Dowd High School*, Oakland, CA
-
Tom Hart, Citizen
-
Jennifer A. Hartmeyer, Georgia Institute of Technology*, Atlanta, GA
-
B.J. Herbison, Bolton, MA
-
Deborah K. Higgins, Asst. to the Director, Information Security
Institute, Johns Hopkins University
-
Andrew Hodges, PhD., Mathematician and Alan Turing Biographer
-
Travis Horton, Wake County Public Libraries*, Raleigh, NC
-
Christopher D. Hunter, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania
-
Hugh Hyatt, Bryn Athyn, PA
-
Anne Poe Lehr, Bookseller
-
Carole B. McNall, J.D., Olean, NY
-
Andrew Mee, Fayetteville, NC
-
Eric T. Mens,
Petersburg, VA
-
Mary Ann Meyers,
Citizen and Retired Librarian
-
Mary R. Minow, J.D., A.M.L.S., LibraryLaw.com, Cupertino, CA
-
Markus Nilsson
-
Brian Paniagua,
Chinle Unified School District #24*, Chinle, Arizona
-
Michael A. Piper, Research Librarian, Federal Information Center
-
Tom Nolan, Executive Director, Project Open Hand*
-
A Palecek, Madison, WI
-
Jeffery L. Pollock,
Republican Candidate for US House - Oregon's 3rd Congressional District,
Pollock for Congress
-
Eric Ries, Yale University, New Haven, CT
-
Bob Rybicki, Executive Director, Shanti*
-
Lynn Schlatter, Instructional Coordinator,
Shreve Memorial Library*
-
Karen G. Schneider, Shenendehowa Public Library*, NY, BlueHighways.com
-
Thomas F. Shehan III, Sophomore, Rockbridge County High School, Lexington, VA
-
E. Allen Smith, Graduate Student,
Rutgers University*
-
Matthew Steuert, Worcester, MA
-
Mark R. Thomas, Retired, Lake Livingston, TX
-
John Viscuso
-
Jonathan Wallace,
Publisher, The Ethical Spectacle
-
Steve Wendt, Chico, CA
-
Daniel Whiting, Student, Poway, CA
-
Ed Williams, Centralia, WA
-
Nathan Williams,
DeKalb Public Library*,
DeKalb, IL
This statement is available at
http://www.onlinepolicy.org/about/network/statement.shtml and mirrored at
http://www.ncac.org/issues/cipa.html and at
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/ 20010117_joint_censorware_statement.html.
Organizing Tools
-
Direct Action
-
Express your views on legislation requiring
Internet blocking in schools and libraries:
demonstrate at federal buildings, schools,
libraries and blocking technology companies, and
display animated banners and
blackout your website.
-
Media Release
-
Contacts for Media Interviews
-
Speakers' Bureau
-
Blocking Technology Discussions Lists Established
-
Join one of the Internet blocking technology discussion email lists,
for general discussions,
for library-related discussions, or
for school-related discussions,
Online Policy Group,
January 27, 2001
Media Coverage
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Supreme Court to Hear Web Porn Case
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The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will decide if public libraries can be forced to install software that blocks sexually explicit Web sites, the latest in Congress' string of attempts to shield children from Internet pornography, Associated Press via ABC News.com (November 12, 2002)
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Filter-Free Access to Internet OK'd By Buffalo-Area Board
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Internet access in the 52 public libraries in Buffalo and Erie County will remain free and unrestricted to users after a decision Thursday by library officials to keep filters off library computers, Buffalo News (July 19, 2002)
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High Court to Consider Net Filters
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The Bush administration renewed its legal fight against Internet pornography on Thursday, asking the Supreme Court to permit Congress to pressure public libraries to block sexually explicit Web sites, Associated Press via New York Times (June 20, 2002)
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Bush Presses Supremes on Filters
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The Bush administration renewed its legal fight against Internet pornography on Thursday, asking the Supreme Court to permit Congress to pressure public libraries to block sexually explicit websites, Associated Press via Wired News (June 20, 2002)
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Organizations and Related Publications
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U.S. Supreme Court Considers Internet Blocking in Libraries
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The Online Policy Group (OPG) and software expert Seth Finkelstein today submitted a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting a lower court decision that the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) places unconstitutional limitations on free speech of library patrons by requiring the use of technology protection measures in libraries receiving certain federal funding or discounts, Online Policy Group (February 10, 2003)
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Children's Internet Protection Act Unconstitutional
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A federal appeals court ruled that the Children's Internet
Protection Act (CIPA) is unconstitutional because it
requires libraries to violate the First Amendment rights
of their patrons, Online Policy Group (May 31, 2002)
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Internet Filters -- A Public Policy Report
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In the spring and summer of 2001, the Free Expression Policy Project of the National Coalition Against Censorship surveyed all of the studies and tests that it was able to locate describing the actual operation of 19 products or software programs that are commonly used to filter out World Wide Web sites and other communications on the Internet, Free Expression Policy Project (October 1, 2001)
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Who Is E-Mailing Our Kids Act
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A bill proposed by Felix Grucci, Jr. (R-NY) would require schools and libraries recieving E-rate funding to block anonymous web and emailing services, Online Policy Group (May 16, 2001)
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