[LM_NET] HIT: Filters getting tougher???

["Dr. Mary Ann Bell" <mbe11@EARTHLINK.NET>]

I received around 70 responses to the questions regarding filters 
getting tougher. Here are some summary statements?
1. Most said yes to the question "are filters getting tougher"...5 said 
their filters were about the same and 3 wished theirs were tighter.
2. Does the person making the decisions about blocking/unblocking have 
an educational background as well as technology? Only seven said yes to 
this.
3. Does the filter apply one-size-fits-all guidelines so that what is 
bad for an elementary student is also off limits to a high school 
senior? All but about six said yes to this.
4. Can you share some recent filter horror stories? I got a LOT. One was 
a 3rd grader who could not research trigger fish (the librarian said "I 
guess the trigger was trigger." Another was blocking of Library of 
Congress (actually this came up several times). Another was blocking of 
Sojourner Truth (with gambling as the reason). Another was blocking the 
New York State Recommended Reading List. Very common is the blocking of 
ALL blogs, educational or otherwise.  Image searcher are taboo in most 
instances. Of course the Westminster Dog Show was blocked...and on and on.
5. In response to the question of whether the librarian or anyone on 
campus has the right to bypass the filter, very few responded yes--I 
think the number was six in all.
6. Do filters reflect bias? I got a few very concerning responses 
here...things like abstinance sites provided but safe sex blocked, all 
gay/lesbian information blocked, abortion vs. pro-life showing bias, 
certain religious sites blocked, etc.

One said quotation I received was..."We have acquiesced.  We could not 
win this battle with Technology." However, in my next posting I will 
report some hopeful information.

-- 
***************************
"Try curiosity!"  Dorothy Parker
***************************
Dr. Mary Ann Bell
Assistant Professor 
School of Library Science
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX
mbe11@earthlink.net
lis_mah@shsu.edu 


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