Filter Battle Returning to Holland

You may recall our series on the battle over censorware in the libraries surrounding the Slashdot Geek Compound in Holland, Michigan. In the final piece, I wrote: "This isn't the end, though. It's just the beginning." Well, the pro-filtering groups have been busy almost since the day they lost the vote, and will almost certainly put the same issue up for a vote again this year, probably on the November ballot. Here's the first news worthy of a heads-up: old, flawed censorware (SmartFilter) is being repackaged with a new name and some card-based hardware that can assign different patrons different settings. Its presentation last night was well-received, and local groups seem to be ready to adopt the system. Last time the Censorware Project checked out this product, it had recently modified its database to allow children to read "How To Have Sex With A Horse."

Comments

Anxious to implement?

[scribblej]

Well, I read the review of the software, and I have to wonder why anyone would want to implement it. I mean, for crying out loud, they don't even know how much porn it lets get through! They do know for sure it blocks one out of about every 20 legitimate sites.

To me, that sounds more like a good way to cripple your browser, than a good way to protect your children.

There's something else fundamentally wrong with censorware -- which is this: Even if it did a good job of blocking web sites, we all know (c'mon, you know it too!) the best, most accessable porn isn't on the web -- it's on usenet! I have yet to hear of a censoring program that blocks usenet access.

Or, for that matter, censorware that can block the various EXE porn-clients available. Really, I haven't heard of any kind of censorware that's actually worth using.

When I have children, I'll count on teaching them what's right and what's wrong, rather than trying to police them with vaporware.

Easy for me to say, I know.