Censorware Article In November Playboy

[Matthew Gaylor]

The November 2001 print issue of Playboy Magazine 
<http://www.playboy.com> has an article by Chip Rowe "Access Denied: 
coming to a library near you: censorware. (Forum page 55).  I just 
received my copy in the mail today.

Rowe cites an example from Bennett Haselton <http://www.peacefire.org/>:

Begin Playboy quote: "Haselton created four web pages with titles 
such as "The Homosexual Agenda Information Center." He posted the 
anti-gay snippets without attribution.  He then reported the pages to 
various filtering companies.  Four companies blocked every page; two 
others blocked at least two.  Haselton shared the results with a 
reporter, who then phoned the companies to inform them of the ruse. 
Each refused to block the original sites. Today's lesson, kids:  It's 
not the content of the message but the clout of the messenger that 
will determine what you see." End Playboy quote.

Censorware refers to Internet filtering software that is federally 
mandated via The Children's Internet Protection Act.  The Act 
requires public schools and libraries to install the Orwellian 
software or risk losing federal funds.  In a recent show of moral 
courage the San Francisco City Library system refused to install the 
software and publicly stated that they'd forego the federal funds.

Regards,  Matt-

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