And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: (The following bill not scheduled for floor action as yet, would potentially permit the blocking of any site deemed "inappropriate" to minors. In all too many instances this translates as information contrary to the establishment's official "line" ...Native history? Activist sites? There is no balance here...Ish) MANDATORY FILTERING FOR SCHOOLS & LIBRARIES APPROVED BY SENATE COMMITTEE The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a markup today to discuss the Childrens' Internet Protection Act (S.97) introduced by its chairman, John McCain (R-AZ), and ranking Democrat, Ernest Hollings (D-SC). The bill mandates that all schools and libraries receiving federal e-rate assistance select a technology for computers with Internet access that: * blocks or filters obscene material, * blocks or filters child pornography, and * may be -- but are not required to be -- used by local authorities to block or filter materials deemed "inappropriate for minors." The schools and libraries must then enforce a policy that ensures that all minors use such technologies while on the Internet. This language is different from previous drafts of this bill in several respects: * It requires filtering or blocking only when minors are using the computer. * It narrows the federal filtering requirement from material deemed "harmful to minors" to obscene material or child pornography, * It broadens the optional filtering category to include a great deal of speech that is protected by the First Amendment. Senator McCain made it clear that such material determined to be "inappropriate for minors" may include sites promoting hate groups or other controversial material, although such material in each of these categories is protected speech under the First Amendment. The bill's only other amendment refined the time period available to schools and libraries to come into compliance with new law, if passed. Senator John Kerry (D-MA) voiced concerns about the bill, drawing attention to the way in which it infringes on the rights of communities to self-determination regarding their own access to the Internet and that of their children. However, the Committee as a whole approved the bill by voice vote. A floor vote has not yet been scheduled. For more information regarding S.97 and the debate surrounding free speech on the net, visit CDT's Free Speech page at http://www.cdt.org/speech/ Reprinted under the fair use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
