Internet Filters and Right to Access

The America Library Association has its own Library Bill of Rights that state the library professions belief in everyone's right to information. Libraries provide millions of people access to information through books, classes, digital media and, of course, THE INTERNET.

However, libraries receiving funding from the Federal Government through eRate must filter all public access computers that children can access. So, most libraries in my area are filtered. They are filtered minimally: pornography, bittorrents, adware are filtered.

Persons over 18 can request the filter to be removed. So, if you are using OpenDNS, here is how to temporarily disable the filter:

Be Aware, though, that viewing most filtered sites will violate your terms of use and computer use policies with your library. Meaning you can lose computer use privileges.

But why, you may ask, if I have a right to this information, am I being punished for accessing it. You have a right to access that info on your personal device. The library has a right to protect their equipment. Pornography sites and gambling sites come with lots of malware and viruses. BitTorrent sites that download movies (etc) illegally are tracked by Internet Providers and will charge users and abusers of copyright.