AP – “Legislation to require library computers to use filtering software to block content deemed offensive to minors has cleared the Idaho Legislature.
The Idaho House voted 69-0 to approve the bill on Tuesday, sending it to the governor’s desk.”
AP – “Idaho lawmakers and library officials are finally in agreement on a bill that would require library computers to have filtering software to block content deemed offensive to minors. The Senate Education Committee unanimously passed the bill Thursday and sent it along to the full Senate with a few amendments.”
Spokesman Review – “Idaho libraries would be required to filter Internet access for adults, under legislation that just passed the House on a 63-7 vote and headed to the Senate; they’re already required by federal law to filter Internet access for children. Rep. Mack Shirley, R-Rexburg, said a group called “Citizens for Decency” brought the idea to him. “As a result, I’ve done a lot of personal research into this topic,” he told the House. “My personal research has convinced me that pornography poses one of the greatest destructive forces … on the youth.”
Digital Media – “Google has added it’s voice to the chorus of dissent against the Federal Government’s proposed mandatory internet filters. Google had already baulked at the Communication Minister Stephen Conroy’s assertion that it should do more to censor YouTube videos. However in a posting on Google Australia Blog, the company has outlined a submission it has made to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.”
EFF – “Our fellow Internet freedom advocates at Electronic Frontiers Australia are gearing up for an important fight in the new year as the Australian government proposes mandatory national Internet filters with a secret blacklist.”
AP – “Australia plans to introduce an Internet filtering system to block obscene and crime-linked Web sites despite concerns it will curtail freedoms and won’t completely work. Adopting a mandatory screening system would make Australia one of the strictest Internet regulators among the world’s democracies. Authoritarian regimes commonly impose controls. China drew international criticism earlier this year with plans to install filtering software on all PCs sold in the country.”
Canadian Press – “A Progressive Conservative member of the legislature wants the province to take steps so people using computers in libraries and public schools cannot access pornography online. Gerry Martiniuk has a private member’s bill that would force libraries and schools to install Internet filtering software to block pornographic websites.
NYTimes – “Chinese officials retreated on Thursday from a plan to install so-called anti-pornography software on every computer sold here, saying instead that Internet cafes, schools and other public places must use the program, but that individual consumers will be spared.”
York region – “The Newmarket and Aurora branches are among Ontario libraries against a private member's bill that, if passed, will require them to use technology to block obscene and sexually explicit content. The bill brought forward by Cambridge MPP Gerry Martiniuk, dealing with the sex offender registry and electronic sexual material, has made it through the first reading. But it infringes on the intellectual rights of individuals, the Ontario Library Association argued.”
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