Florida is the latest state to work on a filtering bill [Link?]. Public libraries would be required to install porn filters on computers, under a bill approved by a Senate committee over objections of librarians.
A Bit Here, and More Here.
“Our children today are faced with so much,” she said. “Their parents are away from them a lot of the time and don’t know what they’re watching. They could be learning to make bombs.”
Bombs=Porn?
“Our children today are faced with so much,” she said. “Their parents are away from them a lot of the time and don’t know what they’re watching. They could be learning to make bombs.”
The definition of porn in Florida must be different…
Re:Bombs=Porn?
Florida is a little strange. Bombs and porn. There’s not a whole lot of logic going on here. It’s about the money, profit motive, lobbyist favors to legislators and how to shut down the free flow of information. 569 complaints out of nearly 67 million library visits. Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. The start up costs are over $1.3 M and the continuing costs are over $1.2 annually for Florida’s libraries. They also said in the committee meeting that libraries would have to keep track of who used the computers and when so if a complaint was filed the library could defend itself from the $100 day fine. I think they would be happy if all libraries shut their doors. And our governor is supposed to be the “reading governor”. And his sister-in-law is a librarian. Scary.
To Jeb Bush libraries are fearful
If people have free access to the Internet they might find articles that question jeb’s decision to slash highschool by 25%. Yes, in jeb’s Florida youth only need to go to high school for 3 years. This will ensure jeb’s cruise-ship buddies and Disney Land a surfeit of under-educated labor. Jeb also outlawed living wage ordinances. Disable the filters? Ha! In my 25 branch system there is only ONE unfiltered machine IN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM and it is 25 miles away from my local branch.
thanks for nothing, jeb…and look out America.
Following the Law
Well, if the filters actually follow what the federal law states, there’s a lot of porn that adults can legally view. Remember, the federal law only blocks images (all textual porn is OK!) that are obscene or child porn. A lot of porn images would not meet the definition of “obscene” (although they would surely offend!). So, in reality, Florida is giving the green light for adults to view porn (as long as it’s not obscene or child porn).
It’s oddly comforting…
In a strange way, this news makes me feel better… I thought the problem with wanting to filter *everything* was just my library system, but now I see it’s the whole state that’s messed up.