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Filters have disadvantages, but are you sure they're Illegal ?
For a public library, yes... unless you want to forfeit all state & federal funding, which would render us basically non-functioning. Bill Clinton once tried to mandate filtering public computers, but the idea was quickly shot down in the courts. Personally I'm okay with that, since I don't really support censorship in public institutions.
Actually, there were two people, I mentioned I go to the library regularly. Like I said, I go because I can rent the latest books and read them without having to buy them. The library I go to always has the latest tech books, travel books, and a ton of non-fiction and fiction. It's pretty damn awesome to just stroll into a library, pick up a book and read. I don't know where you live, but in my neighborhood, the library is ALWAYS busy and it provides a good community.
Also, I noticed a lot of young people in their studying. Tutors also use it as a place to conduct their tutoring sessions. And lastly, the library is a good place to read the newly-released magazines. Libraries usually have a ton of different magazines that they order and you can read them for free.
Most libraries are filled with kids watching youtube until their parents pick them up after work thus saving on child care.
We can also require they use a screen "privacy filter," or set aside a few computers that aren't easily viewed by passersby.
I'm not trying to single you out here, but am I the only one that thinks about how weird and odd it is to set aside an area that has been designation the "Porn-Viewing Area?" We're talking about a community public library here. I'm not opposed to pornography viewing because I've viewed some myself, but I think it becomes very creepy when people are doing it in public. Also, how many of you agree that it is going to be more likely than not that someone IS going to masturbate in public while watching the porn in public? Who are the people that are acting like something as personal/private as watching porn and maybe someone masturbating in public is OK? I'm not even one of those people that is squeamish about sex, talk of porn or masturbation, I openly will talk about sex with friends if that is the discussion. So, for me, even I think that this is ridiculous to think that porn-viewing is OK in public, especially at a community-based place such as a library.
Most libraries are filled with kids watching youtube until their parents pick them up after work thus saving on child care.
Yup, where I am from, this is true as well. It's a great place, the library, to know that someone is doing something that most of us, including myself, would prefer to do at home like a sane-human being, makes me wanna puke.
Everything is acceptable these days .I don't see why internet porn should not be one of them .When you consider the taxpayers ,pay for a library.These are the days when so called * gays have rights*,pride days of blacks and *gays*.I see no problem with this so called issue either .
What makes you think that "everything" is acceptable these days? I would hope that "everything" isn't acceptable these days.
I'm not trying to single you out here, but am I the only one that thinks about how weird and odd it is to set aside an area that has been designation the "Porn-Viewing Area?" We're talking about a community public library here.
LOL... it's not a "porn viewing area," it's just a "PRIVATE viewing area." That could mean somebody is doing their taxes, personal banking, setting up a memorial site for the deceased, posting on their online blog, browsing a dating website, or anything else they don't want to do in full public view. It could also simply mean they need peace & quiet, since the general computer areas tend to be in higher-traffic locations. We certainly don't encourage or condone watching porn anywhere, but if worst comes to worst this is how some libraries resolve the issue. Is that a better explanation?
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I'm not opposed to pornography viewing because I've viewed some myself, but I think it becomes very creepy when people are doing it in public.
I agree 100% that it's creepy in public, and also have no problem with people watching porn at home... even though I don't view it myself (maybe a handful of times in my entire life), since it doesn't really appeal to most of us straight women.
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Also, how many of you agree that it is going to be more likely than not that someone IS going to masturbate in public while watching the porn in public? Who are the people that are acting like something as personal/private as watching porn and maybe someone masturbating in public is OK?
In all the years I've been working in public libraries, I only recall witnessing two inappropriate sexual acts. Neither were at the computers, as one was a man touching himself in the general stacks, and the other incident occurred in the children's area... the former was just asked to leave, while the cops were called on the latter (unfortunately he slipped away before they arrived, but we made a full report). So thankfully most people don't cross that line, and if they do we take care of the situation asap!
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I'm not even one of those people that is squeamish about sex, talk of porn or masturbation, I openly will talk about sex with friends if that is the discussion. So, for me, even I think that this is ridiculous to think that porn-viewing is OK in public, especially at a community-based place such as a library.
I don't think it's okay either, we just have to accept the bad with the good... in order to offer FREE and uncensored access to all, that means taking a chance on somebody using it for objectionable purposes. If we do start filtering and censoring these computers, where do we draw the line? For example, we had one patron who frequented "Bear Dating" sites (for large-sized gay men), which had suggestive but never fully nude photos - would it be okay to filter those sites, if another patron found them offensive? And how do you set a filter properly, in order to block only what is deemed "bad?"
We had filters at one library where I worked, since our Ethernet line was directly connected to the city offices... and since our funding was mostly provided by the city (as opposed to federal or state), we were able to get away with doing that. This filter, and possibly all filters, was programmed using stop words to block access - mostly including words related to sex, gambling, and gaming. One of our regular patrons was a Professor of Human Sexuality at UC Berkeley, and the filter rendered him unable to do research, since all of his search terms triggered the filter. He filed an official complaint with the city, and we ended up removing all but the children's computer filters. See how this could be an issue, and how it might violate the public's freedom to access? Tricky situation, no doubt.
A Seattle mom took her two young daughters to the Lake City (a Seattle neighborhood) library, and one of the daughters, age 10, inadvertently saw some hard core porn that a "big guy" around 60 years old, in a blue jacket, was viewing on a library computer.
She complained to a librarian, who responded that the library protected people's access to information.
Yet another example of the lunacy of Seattle liberalism. We send out police to run sting operations on windowless, adults-only strip clubs with heavy security. But you do essentially the same activity in a public library, in full view of a 10-yr-old girl, and not only are you fully protected, you are subsidized by the taxpayer.
That is insane. Do they have pornography books in a library?? They should have those sites blocked on library computers, that is nuts!! If I were that Mother, I would be calling the newspaper, tv news, something. We tax payers own the library. If it isn't stocked, it sure shouldn't be availble on the computers. I don't care if you are at home, hey whatever....But, What an a-- that man is....all kinds of sick. imo
That is insane. Do they have pornography books in a library??
Some do, yes... of course it depends on what you consider "pornography," but I've seen everything from Tropic of Cancer and Danielle Steele books to nude art and Playboy magazines.
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We tax payers own the library.
Not really. You contribute a SMALL portion from taxes, but the total funding comes from a variety of sources... federal, state & city/county budgets, personal contributions, fundraising (through Friends of the Library), grants, etc. And even if you WERE paying for the entire library, we are still subject to federal laws - including the laws prohibiting filters on public access computers, and the regulations regarding censorship. Read the entire thread, if you really want to understand the issue a little better.
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