Computers, MySpace, Back to School
Congress Considering Ban on MySpace and Facebook in Libraries
First, libraries were forced to start filtering out obscene content in 2000. Then came the Patriot Act, which granted the government the right to examine the books you checked out and the sites you visited on a library's public computers. Now, lawmakers are trying to ban children from accessing MySpace and Facebook on library PCs in order to keep the kids safe from sexual predators.
The heavy-handed legislation -- a bill introduced by Representative Mark Steven Kirk of Illinois -- is, of course, being fought by the American Library Association. The library wants to protect people's privacy saying that it is essential if a community is to utilize the library for intellectual pursuits.
Library officials agree with the goal of the bill, but they say that educating kids and parents about the dangers of such sites is the only comprehensive solution to the problem, which is a more than fair point. Kids are crafty and aren't only signing on to MySpace at the library. Heck, any kid with a Sidekick could spend all day talking to predators and there would be no way to know.
We think a strong education program and some decent parenting can keep kids safe online, regardless of where they sign on from and what sites they use. [Source: USA Today]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Shei said 5:06PM on 7-28-2008
Instead of lawmakers handling the economy crisis (its a crisis in my life EVERYDAY) there are lawmakers trying to ban myspace and facebook?! YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOU SEE AMERICAN YOUTH IN THE LIBRARY, AND READING A BOOK AT THAT! How bout try banning TV first? There's a thought....
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cyberma777 said 4:36PM on 7-28-2008
Note to Federal Government - Get out of my libraries! Why are you wasting time on this? Any kid with an iPhone or other decent cell phone can access those sites while in the library anyway. Don't you have more important things to do like solving the serious economic problems of this country? P.S. to Repubs - Tell your religious rightie friends they need a refresher course in Constitutional rights.
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Gwen said 12:05PM on 7-30-2008
I think you forget who is running Congress, it's the Democrats. Tell your Liberal Lefties THEY need a course in Constitutional Rights.
Scott Padgett said 4:19PM on 7-29-2008
Gwen, you should look into the situation a little more before trying to blame democrats. Representative Mark Steven Kirk of Illinois, who the article says introduced this bill is a REPUBLICAN. Hopefully the democrats in congress will be wise enough to squash this...
Citizen said 5:26PM on 7-28-2008
Uhh? Why would the Congress have anything to do with our community libraries. Should the Feds tell us not to let our kids to go to the community park for fear of sex predators too ? Note To Our Congress - Tell your kids not to answer emails from lunatics and not to take candy from stangers. Then get on to some real business!
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Thom said 10:13PM on 7-28-2008
Myspace , facebook, along with others, use networks to access content, there are so many intellectual property, security impositions being made by these sites.
If your child isn't in the library remind them it's a option,
do they tell your child not to go to the park, maybe there saying there parents should GO WITH.
You can't raise the child, if your not with the child.
Myspace an Facebook should not do it for you.
Using a library IP addresses for access to these sites should be a thing of the past.
You want to know who your talking to right? How are they going to find the people who set up the fraudulent pages on these sites if they use the library? Ask for I.D., card reader.
Pop teen if you ask me that site the age range should be 12 to 15,
why, 18 is adult, 16 you can drive. Site managers act like this situation is difficult it's as simple as partitioning drives.
When a site doesn't manager doesn't like someone they do it to frame, defirm, fence people. so why not for a good purpose.
Age verification
Thom
Not Yorke
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Dan said 10:50AM on 7-29-2008
Here's a suggestion:
If you would like people to understand you, please read over what you post before you post it. I have absolutely no idea what you were trying to say here. If English is not your first language, then I apologize for pointing this out, but otherwise, you really should take care to make sure what you're saying is clear and understandable.
As for my opinion: I think there are much bigger problems in this country than kids accessing MySpace and Facebook in libraries. I think attempting to curb certain internet traffic in libraries is a futile gesture in the age of universal internet access. Why bother dealing with the implications of trying to restrict people's information access when the result doesn't really accomplish anything?
Michelle said 11:47PM on 7-28-2008
It just seems to me that Congress (the opposite of Progress) doesn't want to hit the important items and just want to make more penny ante decisions that affect our civil liberties. My myspace is used to nurture ideas and cultural ideals. We blog back and forth about pressing issues in our country and rally to support worthy causes. I know that not everyone does that but for those who do, a blanket restriction is not only ridiculous, but incomprehensible to me. There are several people in my groups who are under the age of 18 who are active in debates about the issues facing our Nation today. Why take away something from people? It seems incomprehensible. Just keep eroding our liberties. Today it is our kids, tomorrow it will be US. Soon USA will mean Under Surveillance in America.
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Michelle said 11:48PM on 7-28-2008
It just seems to me that Congress (the opposite of Progress) doesn't want to hit the important items and just want to make more penny ante decisions that affect our civil liberties. My myspace is used to nurture ideas and cultural ideals. We blog back and forth about pressing issues in our country and rally to support worthy causes. I know that not everyone does that but for those who do, a blanket restriction is not only ridiculous, but incomprehensible to me. There are several people in my groups who are under the age of 18 who are active in debates about the issues facing our Nation today. Why take away something from people? It seems incomprehensible. Just keep eroding our liberties. Today it is our kids, tomorrow it will be US. Soon USA will mean Under Surveillance in America.
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monique said 10:08AM on 7-29-2008
This is crazy! How about harsher laws to keep the damn predators in jail!!!!!!!!!! Those sickos need to stay in jail forever... but instead they just register them as sex offenders. Like thats gonna stop them.
Hey congress( lazy asses) how about helping our economy huh!
We the people are suffering!!!
p.s. the person who said the thing about the ipod and other phones is right. Kids will be exposed no matter what. It's the parents responsibility to control them.
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BLACKEY said 3:24AM on 7-29-2008
remember KHMER ROUGE and POL POT of Cambodia; HITLER; STALIN; so many other dictatorial asses. now; in the land of the free and the home of the brave; as well as it's rulers; it's an attack on freedom of speech and/or expression / thoughts. the above attacked the libraries; the schools; the churches; and any other group of people who had any idea or thoughts not consistent with theirs. burning and banning books; thoughts / expressions; ideas; writings; or any philosophical idea not dreamed up by these psychopaths. murdering of thousands even millions of those damnable dissenters and disagreeable asses was everyday routine. now the us govt is routinely invading our privacy; and stepping on the constitution like in was trash in the street. where does it stop? look to history!!
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vinnieplum said 6:37AM on 7-29-2008
Bulletin: Congress is considering requiring libraries to remove the word "Patriot" from librarry dictionaries, fearing people will learn of its misuse in the term "Patriot Act." "Freedom" and "Liberty" are also words under scrutiny.
Our representatives are hard at work protecting us from the dangers lurking around every corner; dangers defined by the religious wrong, Big Pharma and Big Energy. But who is going to protect us from Congress?
Roll up your pants, people. It's already too late to save your shoes and socks.
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ScamN2 said 6:52AM on 7-29-2008
Maybe congress should first sign into law, that if a person get's caught diddling with a child, he/she gets executed ................mandatory, instead of releasing them back into society, then if that doesn't work, who knows what will?
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redwillow said 10:16AM on 7-29-2008
finally - someone else who feels that there should still be consequenses!! There are just some things that should not be 'rehabitable'.....and the American people are not (thanks to Bush) in a position to keep shelling out tax dollars for their and other repeat offenders' upkeep. Right now, I (and my kids) would have a higher quality of life in prison, thanks to our economy. Gotta Love George!!
kittsongstad said 11:48AM on 7-29-2008
Exactly. When they decide to get tough on monitoring these idiots that are already loose in the streets and start focusing on crime instead of building city halls off the fines we pay for minor traffic offenses, they can have my **** myspace.
Misty said 12:59PM on 7-29-2008
I'd second that law!
wimbcc said 1:30PM on 7-29-2008
I totally agree. They should just be executed. If DNA put them in jail, execute immediately after the trial. If all he/she was arrested on and convicted on was circumstancial evidence, then there should be a wait time in the event that he/she might really be innocent to prove that. I would give them 2 years (in prison) to prove that he/she is not the guilty party. If case is almost ready to prove innocense at the end of the 2 year time frame, then an extension could be granted if there is enough evidence to prove that the party may not be guilty. I understand that innocent people do go to jail for crimes they have not committed but at the same time our prisons are rotting with skanks who are guilty with the DNA proof and those should be executed right now!
Steve said 7:07AM on 7-29-2008
Why is Congress so afraid to face what they help create, the current economic disaster brought on by the looters in the White House. Bush and the gang are bankrupting this nation if they have not already done so. Bush and the gang hold no allegiance to our nation. In fact Bush is held in high esteem in Saudi Arabia by his boy friend Prince Bandar. Holding hands and smiling after coming from behind the barn. Now wasn't that so cute. While Bush and his prince were behind the barn, our troops were dying for less than nothing. And dying for Bush is dying for less than nothing. Goddamn Bush, his gang and anyone who supports the looting of our country to this bunch of rapists, looters and war criminals.
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prad762 said 7:12AM on 7-29-2008
The Patriot act keeps America safe. Thank God for people like President Bush, Representative Kirk, and Senator McCain. They understand the dangers of free and open communication. The only way to protect our country from terrorists is to fight them in Iraq and restrict our freedoms here. Terrorists are using Myspace and Facebook to communicate with each other from public libraries everyday. I'm voting for McCain. He understands the dangers posed by public libraries. Remember: If your not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.
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egriffin said 8:55AM on 7-29-2008
Okay, while I am all for regulating sites like MySpace and such, a ban is rather silly when these folks at the library could easily put a block on such sites! The technology is there people, use it!
Don't the government have better things to do than to fool with this?
Besides, the parents are the ones that should be rearing these kids.
And to those parents that think this is a good idea, remember this....if you allow the government to regulate this, your favorite things or your beliefs WILL be next!