Supreme Court upholds CIPA, ALA Denounces Decision (ALAWON,
v12, n57)
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Peter Suber
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Jun 23, 2003 08:45 PDT
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ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
Volume 12, Number 57
June 23, 2003
In This Issue: Supreme Court upholds CIPA, ALA Denounces Decision
For Immediate Release
June 23, 2003
ALA denounces Supreme Court ruling on Children's Internet
Protection Act
(Toronto) We are very disappointed in today's decision. Forcing
Internet filters on all library computer users strikes at the
heart of user choice in libraries and at the libraries' mission of
providing the broadest range of materials to diverse users.
Today's Supreme Court decision forces libraries to choose between
federal funding for technology improvements and censorship.
Millions of library users will lose.
We are disappointed the Court did not understand the difference
between adults and children using library resources. This flies
in the face of library practice of age-appropriate materials and
legal precedent that adults must have access to the full range of
health, political and social information. The public library is
the number one access point for online information for those who
do not have Internet access at home or work. We believe they must
have equal access to the Information Superhighway.
In light of this decision and the continued failure of filters,
the American Library Association again calls for full disclosure
of what sites filtering companies are blocking, who is deciding
what is filtered and what criteria are being used. Findings of
fact clearly show that filtering companies are not following legal
definitions of "harmful to minors" and "obscenity." Their
practices must change.
To assist local libraries in their decision process, the ALA will
seek this information from filtering companies, then evaluate and
share the information with the thousands of libraries now being
forced to forego funds or choose faulty filters. The American
Library Association also will explain how various products work,
criteria to consider in selecting a products and how to best use a
given product in a public setting. Library users must be able
to see what sites are being blocked and, if needed, be able to
request the filter be disabled with the least intrusion into their
privacy and the least burden on library
service.
The ALA will do everything possible to support the governing
bodies of these local institutions as they struggle with this very
difficult decision.
Contact: Larra Clark, Press Officer 416-585-3550/cell: 416-994-
6912
Contact: Frank DiFulvio, ALA Washington Office Press Officer 202-
628-8410/cell: 703-969-6701
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ALA Washington Office, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 403,
Washington, D.C. 20004-1701; phone: 202.628.8410 or 800.941.8478
toll-free; fax: 202.628.8419; e-mail: alaw-@alawash.org; Web
site: http://www.ala.org/washoff. Executive Director: Emily
Sheketoff. Office of Government Relations: Lynne Bradley,
Director; Camille Bowman, Mary Costabile, Don Essex, Patrice
McDermott and Miriam Nisbet. Office for Information Technology
Policy: Rick Weingarten, Director; Jennifer Hendrix, Carrie
Russell, Claudette Tennant. ALAWON Editor: Bernadette Murphy.
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