Yesterday the Supreme Court upheld the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). I haven't covered CIPA much here, because it only overlaps sliightly with open access issues. But the decision is worth noting as another incursion on the free flow of information, this time in order to protect children using internet terminals in libraries receiving federal funds. The court acknowledged that internet filters are very imperfect, and can only block porn by blocking much non-porn at the same time. This "overblocking" problem didn't bother the Court because adults could always turn off the filters. Some libraries are responding to the decision by planning to inform patrons that filters may be turned off on request, no questions asked. Others are planning to turn down federal funds.
See the Court's ruling and news coverage about it.
Posted by
Peter Suber at 6/24/2003 03:06:00 PM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
