Legislation to limit the Web sites children can see on library computers and the videos they can borrow heads to the state Senate.
The Kansas House passed the bill Thursday a vote of 115-4. Its fate is uncertain in the Senate, which ignored similar legislation two years ago.
The bill is intended to keep library patrons under 17 from seeing Internet pornography. Libraries would have to put filtering software on computers used by minors, or enact policies to let children view what they want on the Web with written consent from their parents.
More.
Heavens forfend!
If these children are so socially inept as to be comfortable viewing pornography in a public place, I’d suggest we have more pressing problems to deal with than porn in the library.
Bare breasts threaten to unravel the very fabric of our society, I suppose.
Paris Hilton sex video
Okay, the bill says that the filters need to block not just sites containing harmful-to-minors content, but also sites which *make reference* to stuff that’s harmful to minors. And the filters must be at least 80% effective. Therefore, the filters would have to block 4 out of 5 sites that mention the Paris Hilton sex video.
So, if this thing passes, it’ll be my fault that LISNews gets blocked in Kansas libraries.
p.s. The bill also gives the MPAA rating system the force of law. I doubt that part would pass a federal court challenge.