Filtering by public libraries increases to 65%

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Burt,David" <david_burt () securecomputing com>
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 11:14:46 -0600
To: <dave () farber net>
Subject: Filtering by public libraries increases to 65%

The first survey numbers for public library compliance with the Children¹s
Internet Protection Act (CIPA) were just published in Library Journal¹s
Annual Budget Report, which surveyed 424 public libraries.  Unfortunately,
this isn¹t available on-line yet, but I got it through Lexis/Nexis.  Here is
the relevant excerpt:
 
 ³As 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.²
Budget Report 2005, Library Journal, January 15, 2005
 
Here¹s 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%.  What¹s also interesting here
is that 59.5% say they ³comply with CIPA² 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 doesn¹t 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 Kennedy¹s 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=/ucethi
c/20050103/cm_ucethic/pornatthelibrary
<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&amp;cid=2209&amp;ncid=742&amp;e
=16&amp;u=/ucethic/20050103/cm_ucethic/pornatthelibrary> )
 
 

 
 
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)

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David_Burt () Securecomputing com
 
Secure Computing Corporation, Seattle Office

900 Fourth Avenue, Suite 3600

Seattle, WA 98164

USA

 
 


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