The Supreme Court recently ruled that public libraries that receive federal funds must equip their public-access computers with Internet filters intended to screen out pornography.

These filters regularly block sites that have nothing to do with pornography. A 2002 study from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that the most restrictive filtering software incorrectly blocked one-fourth of websites containing legitimate health information.

The American Library Association reports that many public librarians plan to forego federal funds in order to keep their Internet access unfiltered. However, librarians in poorer communities may not be able to afford to do so. The Commerce Department reports that blacks, Hispanics, and low-income families are more likely to rely on library access than are whites, Asians, and higher-income families. Thus, these filters further widen the gap in access to online material for minorities and low-income Americans.

Planned Parenthood of Greater Indiana applauds those public libraries that choose to reject federal funds in order to give their users free access to information on the Internet. For those libraries that cannot forego funds, PPGI agrees with the American Library Association that "library users must be able to see what sites are being blocked, and, if needed, be able to request that the filter be disabled with the least intrusion into their privacy and the least burden on library service."

2 Action Ideas:

1. The next time you check out a book or tape from your local library let them know that you support using the least restrictive means possible to control Internet access.