Re: [LM_NET] Filtering Question

[Robert Eiffert <beiffert@COMCAST.NET>]

Paula Yohe wrote:
'we have to work on this -- i just wish we as a profession wouldn't have
been so negative on filtering -- the way it came across to many
administrators and techs was that we would allow access to any material
like porn to kids ---"

I think more people are starting to see our 'negativity' as valid
criticism and concern for misplaced trust in a simplistic solution.

When filters are NOT blocking in the category set to block AND at the
same time, mis-blocking by putting sites in wrong categories, teachers,
parents, students, administrators all get, at the very least, frustrated.

Not only are sites that, according to the filter company, should be
blocked not getting blocked (underblocking), but also sites that
shouldn't be blocked getting blocked (mis-blocking, whether intentional
or not). And erring on the side of overblocking to be safe causes good
sites to not be available. All of these can cause bad, biased,
discriminatory, information through; something we could not accept as
part of any selection policy.

--
Robert Eiffert, Librarian
Pacific MS
Vancouver, WA
pac.egreen.wednet.edu/library
beiffert.net furl.net/members/reiffert bloglines.com/blog/reiffert

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