Congress, the Courts, state legislators, and local officials have sought technological means to regulate public Internet access in schools and libraries. Attempts to tie federal funding to content restrictions raise serious constitutional questions similar to those brought forward in the ACLU v. Reno case that challenged the constitutionality of the Communications Decency Act. CIPA, if held constitutional, will impose federal regulations over local, community control of information access. First Amendment protections must extend to the digital sphere if we are to ensure open dialogue across the full spectrum of opinion in the information age. Parents have legitimate concerns about their children s safety.
Filters are expensive to install and maintain.
Most important, filters do not take the place of preferred routes that include the development of community-based Internet access policies, user education programs, links to great sites, and safety guidelines. The battles to impose content restrictions on libraries and schools are likely to continue into the foreseeable future. They use up scarce resources. They distort the view of libraries as safe and welcoming places for children and adults. Most important, they divert the community and its library from fulfilling the needs of its information-hungry citizens who require access, content, and skills to thrive in the 21st century information society.