No+Web+Filtering+Guidelines

We should not create national web filtering guidelines.

__INTRODUCTION__ Web Filtering is designed to protect people from information that is offensive, abusive, discriminatory, and/or illegal. The biggest problem with this would be that it would deny people freedom of speech. The first amendment states that we have the freedom to speak freely without censorship or limitation. A filter would block both of these. Problem two is that we currently do not have the technology that can accurately filter content. A lot of times a filter will block perfectly acceptable content that could be viewed by anyone. Problem number three, who gets to decide what is considered offensive, abusive, discriminatory, and/or illegal. Frequently, the computer IT people are the ones who decide, thereby posibly introducing a their own biases. Problem number three is schools and librarys are being forced to use federal aid to filter web content. ALA american library association and the American civil liberities union filled suits stating that "Given the dynamic nature of Internet speech and the inherent limitations of available filtering technology, it is both practically and legally impossible to comply with this mandate," the ALA suit says"

By filtering the web, we are doing a disservice to our children. For example, we teach them the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and safe sex so that they can make informed decisions in the future. They learn that their are natural consequences to their decisions. The same can be done for the internet. Students need to know how to distinguish between legitimate websites and those that are not. They need to understand that anyone can post anything they want on the internet, regardless of its truth or appropriateness. Students need to understand that participation or affiliation with certain websites can have natural consequences that could involve illegal activity, identity theft, potential computer malfunction, and inviting potentially dangerous people to see your personal information. If we do not teach students how to safely navigate the internet. How will they be able to do this as adults? In addition, we send the message to children that they can not be trusted to make the right decision. Students see this as one more way for adults to force an exceptable behavior on them instead of teaching them to make informed decisions as young learners. Curiosity could lead students to check out questionable websites to see why schools filter them.

There is also a major technological gap between those who have access to the internet and those who do not. The students who do not have the internet at home are denied access to information. Setephanie Elizondo Griest, a representative of Free Expression Project, commented "Students who have enough money, who have resources, can always go home and get on their personal computers and do what they need to do. Students with more limited resources don't have that option, and that tends to affect minority students"

__LINKS__ [] - Wikipedia entry on Freedom of Speech.

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[|Free Expression Project] __VIDEO__

__CONCLUSION__ Shielding students from certain web content is not a solution to having students safely navigate the internet. Time and time again, students show us just how technologically savvy they are. They would find ways around the filter. It would just become another hurdle for them to overcome. Then, the purpose of the filter is completely lost. Instead, we should educate students to the potential dangers of the internet and how to avoid them. Filters may keep students out of certain sites. However, students turn into adults who will be able to access any sites they want. If they learn appropriate use of the internet as children, they can take this information with them as they move into adulthood. Teaching students to use resources intelligently creates "good digital citizens." To do just that, teachers need to contently refresh and expand their knowledge of the internet and how to navigate it. Not only do teachers need more professional development and teacher preparation, but also working with parents to collaborate and expand on those lessons from school. The safety of our students is important to the parents and teachers. The internet and the needs of our students are always changing. Therefore, guidelines and filters will always be changing. It seems a better use of our time and money to continue to educate students and help them make the right decisions, educated decisions, and embrace and protect themselves wherever life takes them.