Judge: Salem Library can't block website content; Library says lawsuit changes nothing

[icymist]

A woman says filtering software kept her from viewing sites about Wicca.

ST. LOUIS -- A federal judge ordered a small library in southern Missouri to stop blocking access to websites related to Wicca and other minority religions, calling it a violation of patrons' First Amendment rights. U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber issued the ruling on Tuesday in a case involving the Salem Public Library.

The American Civil Liberties Union sued last year on behalf of Anaka Hunter of Salem, which is a largely Christian community of 5,000 residents in the Missouri Ozarks. It's the county seat of Dent County.

The lawsuit said Hunter was trying to do research at the library but filtering software blocked access to sites about things such as Wicca, a pagan religion that worships nature and involves witchcraft.

http://www.kspr.com/news/ky3-judge-salem-library-cant-block-website-content-20130306,0,6035051.story?track=rss

[Behind the Aegis]

1. It is amazing it is the 21st century.

Seems a few people are quite lost and not ready to join the rest of us in this day and age. Pity.

[Knightraven]

2. This story is odd to follow.

The lawsuit said Hunter was trying to do research at the library but filtering software blocked access to sites about things such as Wicca, a pagan religion that worships nature and involves witchcraft.

The consent judgment lets the library to keep up its good work for its patrons and continue the fine balance of the public interest in open access to information with the library's legal obligation under the Children's Internet Protection Act.

Now I understand some pictures may be blocked due to the law, however why did they have the whole topic blocked? I understand that they did go ahead and fix the issue, yet why block the whole topic in the first place?

Then I also saw that the story said:

This is the same internet screening service provider as ninety percent of public libraries in Missouri.

Is this type of block used widely?

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

3. IIRC many/most of the filter software was created by Religious groups...

or they sponsored the development of the software. They wouldn't want their little ones learning about all the evil stuff out in the real world like other cultures and religions.

I can see that software, being already created, as an easy choice for libraries to buy and use. The librarians probably use the presets in the filters. That could be for any number of reasons, as an example, not having the tech knowledge to change them. Some of them may know that the settings already filter more than the porn and they think that their patrons shouldn't being searching for things like pagan/neopagan religions anyway, so they gladly leave the filters as they are.


That's my quick take on what is going on and I am probably way over simplifying it.