Re: (Fwd) Porn and Public Access - Tx Telecom Jrnl (fwd)

[Michael Schuyler <michael@linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us>]

> At 11:42 PM 4/8/97 -0500, Bill Michtom wrote:
> >>>  (One library union rep also warns the Internet could cause 
> >>>  sexual harassment of workers.)
> >
> >What?!?
> >
> >To paraphrase the NRA: The Internet doesn't sexually harass. *People*
> >sexually harass.
> >Does anyone know what the alleged reasoning is here?

The issue is that if a library worker is compelled to help a patron
find/view porno, and, as a result, is forced into a situation where
he/she saw this porno, then said library worker would have cause to
sue the institution for sexual harrassment because the institution
allowed this to take place. 

This is one of many legal opinions surrounding the graphical web issue in
libraries. here are a couple more "legal opinions."

2) If a library attempts to filter for porn and the filtering is
imperfect, then the library is held to a higher standard if a complaint is
brought because the library ought to have been better at filtering, so the
library is more liable for porno if it filters than if it did not filter
at all. 

3) It is absolutely unconstitutional for a library to filter the Internet
in any form because this infringes on protected speech. 

I'm not claiming ANYTHING about these statements, whether I personally
like them, dislike them, or think they're crazy, but they are floating
around; they are contradictory; and, basically, you can find a legal
opinion to bolster your point of view, no matter which stance you take. 

I DO think this represents the proverbial rock and hard place, and I also
believe we need some precedent-setting case law applied specifically to
these issues before anything will become clear. This summer's supreme
court decision on the Communications decency Act could help, one would
hope. 

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