-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Public library filter use increases to 65% after CIPA Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 10:55:54 -0600 From: Burt,David <david_burt@private> To: Declan McCullagh <declan@private> [You may republish any portion of this e-mail. For a bio of me describing the history of my involvement in the library filtering issue since 1997, see http://www.securecomputing.com/speaker_bio.cfm?Speaker=48 ] Declan, The first survey numbers for public library compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) were just published in Library Journal’s Annual Budget Report, which surveyed 424 public libraries. Unfortunately, this isn’t available on-line yet, but I got it through Lexis/Nexis. Here is the relevant excerpt: “As for the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), which ties receipt of E-rate discounts to filtering the Internet, 59.5% of respondents said they complied. A slightly larger percentage (65%) said they filter at least some Internet terminals. It was predicted that smaller libraries might not choose to comply with CIPA, given the limited savings; also, it is believed people in smaller, close-knit communities are less likely to flout rules of acceptable Internet usage. Indeed, only 44% of the smallest libraries (serving fewer than 10,000 people) filter any terminals, while more than three-quarters of libraries serving more than 100,000 people filter. Of those responding, 62% apply for E-rate discounts. Some 85% of libraries serving more than 500,000 people apply for discounts.” Budget Report 2005, Library Journal, January 15, 2005 Here’s how this stacks up to earlier surveys: Year Libraries filtering Source 1998 14% National Commission on Library and Information Science 2000 24% National Commission on Library and Information Science 2002 43% Library Journal 2004 65% Library Journal CIPA went into effect for public libraries in July, 2003. So you can see this resulted in a big jump from 43% to 65%. What’s also interesting here is that 59.5% say they “comply with CIPA” which should mean that 59.5% of public libraries are now filtering for ALL patrons, including staff as is required by CIPA. What this data doesn’t say is how CIPA is being implemented in practices. When the Supreme Court upheld CIPA in ALA v. U.S. (see http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/02pdf/02-361.pdf) there were 5 separate opinions, including Justice Kennedy’s concurrence that suggested libraries should disable (or unblock filtered material) for adults. However, neither the Supreme Court nor the FCC (which is charged with implementing CIPA) specifically directed libraries to have such disabling policies. It is unclear how many libraries allow adult disabling of filters, though two recent press accounts documented how some public libraries were going different ways. The Phoenix Public Library recently rescinded a disabling policy after patrons were having the filters disabled to access child pornography (see http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0106wvglenlibrary06.html ), while the New York Public Library complies with CIPA and allows adult disabling, and does not prevent patrons from accessing pornography (see http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2209&ncid=742&e=16&u=/ucethic/20050103/cm_ucethic/pornatthelibrary <http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2209&ncid=742&e=16&u=/ucethic/20050103/cm_ucethic/pornatthelibrary> ) I think for now libraries will continue to implement their own policies, because I sense little enthusiasm from either the free speech or pro-family groups for another round of court battles on this issue. --David *David Burt* Public Relations Manager *Secure Computing® * /Securing connections between people, applications, and networks™/ www.securecomputing.com <http://www.securecomputing.com/> NASDAQ: SCUR 1-206-892-1130 (Direct Phone) 1-800-971-2622 (Main Phone) 1-206-683-9508 (Mobile Phone) 1-206-834-1788 (Fax) David_Burt@private <mailto:David_Burt@private> * * *Secure Computing Corporation, Seattle Office* 900 Fourth Avenue, Suite 3600 Seattle, WA 98164 USA _______________________________________________ Politech mailing list Archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ Moderated by Declan McCullagh (http://www.mccullagh.org/)
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