Free Expression Policy Project Report on Filtering
Free Expression Policy Project at the Brennan Center for Justice has just released a major public policy report on internet filtering that “explains the effects of CIPA and then analyzes nearly 100 tests and studies that demonstrate how filters operate as censorship tools.”
It is interesting that this think tank produced such a major report on filtering at a point when the legal issues have mostly been decided. The report concludes, “Although some may say that the debate is over and that filters are now a fact of life, it is never too late to rethink bad policy choices.”
4 comments on “Free Expression Policy Project Report on Filtering”
It is hardly true that “the legal issues have mostly been decided” regarding filters, and further, not all important public policy issues are simply “legal issues.” It is important for institutions of all kinds as well as individuals to understand the dangers of a filtered Internet.
Legal cases are decided on the basis of specific facts. The one Supreme Court decision regarding filters rejected a “facial” challenge to a law requiring filters in schools & libraries that receive federal aid for Internet connections, but left open the possibility of “as appplied” challenges. So, even from a narrow legal perspective, the many issues raised by the use of filters have hardly been resolved.
Marjorie Heins (I am one of the authors of the report)
Postscript to the previous comment: the link provided for the report above doesn’t work. The correct URL is http://www.fepproject.org/policyreports/filters2.pdf
Thanks for your comments – I will fix the link.
There’s also an introductory page at http://www.fepproject.org/policyreports/filters2intro.html, which includes ordering info for free printed copies of the report.
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