[Reader-list] Filtering co. nixes library filters

[Nilanjana Roy]

This one raises some interesting issues--apologies if you've already read the story. 
Nilanjana S. Roy

Thursday June 7, 3:52 AM

SurfControl Opposes Mass. Mandatory Net Filtering Effort







WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 2001 JUN 6 (NB) -- By David McGuire, Newsbytes.

SurfControl - one of the world's largest manufacturers of Internet filtering and monitoring products - this week said it openly opposes an effort in Massachusetts to force libraries to use filtering technology. 

"We do think that schools and indeed libraries should consider using filtering (products), but we've always, since 1995, thought that it should be a choice," Surf Control Vice President of Home and Education Markets Susan Getgood said today. 

Because SurfControl maintains an office and a substantial presence in Massachusetts, the company felt that it was important "as a filtering company" to go on record in opposition to the mandatory filtering effort, Getgood said. 

Massachusetts lawmakers appear to still be in the very early stages of debating a proposal that would require all public libraries in the state to use filtering software. 

Getgood said that the mandatory filtering debate - whether at the state or federal level - too often disintegrates into an argument over whether filtering technology indeed works the way it is intended. 

Getgood disputes the arguments made by some filtering opponents that software such as CyberPatrol - one of SurfControl's proprietary products - filter either too much information or not enough. 

Modern filters can discern between porn sites and those providing information about breast cancer, Getgood said. 

"Filters work extremely well at helping schools and libraries manage Internet access for a whole host of reasons," Getgood said. 

Because school and library administrators are aware of filtering technology, and are - in a growing number of instances - using that technology, the filtering industry neither wants, nor needs a federal mandate requiring that their products be used, Getgood said. 

First Amendment attorney Jon Katz, who has fought against mandatory filtering efforts, speculated today that SurfControl could be using the announcement as a way to "get some free marketing," but added that regardless of the motive he welcomes the company's opposition to mandatory filtering. 

Getgood warned lawmakers not to pass legislation that she said could do more harm than good. 

"We know that technology is always changing and if you pin yourself down to something too tightly in law, you aren't going to be able to achieve your goal." 

 

 



---------------------------------
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Personal Address - Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/attachments/20010608/bcbb5b9c/attachment.html