IP: Alert: Oppose Internet Censorship

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

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            ** RE-DISTRIBUTE WIDELY UNTIL MAY 31 **
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                          ACTION ALERT


                 American Civil Liberties Union
                 Electronic Frontier Foundation
              Electronic Privacy Information Center


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           OPPOSE GOVERNMENT-MANDATED INTERNET FILTERING!


      *** HERE IS HOW TO SEND FREE FAXES TO YOUR SENATORS ***


The United States Senate may vote as early as the week of May 11
on the "Internet School Filtering Act" (S. 1619).  The bill would
require schools and libraries receiving federal Internet subsidies
to install filtering software designed to prevent children from
accessing "inappropriate" material.


The ACLU, EFF and EPIC are sponsoring an online campaign to oppose
this measure.  By visiting any of the following links, you can
send faxes -- free of charge! -- to your two Senators:


           http://www.aclu.org/congress/cybmarch.html


                http://www.eff.org/blueribbon/


            http://www.epic.org/free_speech/action/


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BACKGROUND


On March 12, the Senate Commerce Committee approved the "Internet
School Filtering Act" (S. 1619).  The bill would require schools
and libraries receiving federal "e-rate" Internet subsidies to
certify that they are using filtering software designed to prevent
minors from accessing "inappropriate" material.


The filtering bill could come to the Senate floor as early as the
week of May 11.


The bill raises serious constitutional questions.  In a decision
issued on April 7, a federal judge in Virginia rejected an effort
to dismiss a challenge to Internet filtering at a public library,
finding that "the Library Board may not adopt and enforce content-
based restrictions on access to protected Internet speech" unless
it meets the highest level of constitutional scrutiny.


Several studies have found that a great amount of valuable
educational material is blocked by filtering programs.  Some
filtering systems even block access to web sites created by
elementary schools for elementary school children.  Filtering
requirements are inconsistent with the goal of providing our
children a rich educational experience and, when mandated by
government, violative of the First Amendment.


Many local communities have decided that the best approach is one
that emphasizes acceptable use policies and Internet education
programs.  They have rejected the use of filtering software as
ineffective and contrary to educational objectives.  They've
decided to instill values rather than install filters.  Tell
Congress to leave this issue to local communities, and not to
mandate a federal, one-size-fits-all filtering requirement.


Additional information on Internet filtering is also available at
the Internet Free Expression Alliance website:


                      http://www.ifea.net


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