Keeping School And Library Computers Safe

This is family policy matter programs produced by the North Carolina family policy Council of profamily research and education organization dedicated to strengthening and preserving the family and up from the studio here is John Rustin, Pres. North Carolina family policy Council, thank you for joining us this week for family policy matters.

It is our pleasure to have Haley Halverson with us on the program. Haley is director of communications for the National Center on sexual dictation only known as morality in media NCSC was founded in 1962 and changed its name in 2015 to better describe its mission which is to expose the seamless connection between all forms of sexual exploitation.

Haley is with us to discuss the MCSE's safe schools safe library project which is a grassroots campaign designed to help parents ensure that libraries and school computers are safe for kids to use to be talking with Haley about that important project and how parents can get involved. Haley Halverson, welcome to the program.

Thank you so much for having me. Well, it's great to have you with us today as we begin tell us about the safe schools safe libraries campaign and what it's all about you. Well campaign part during our president, Patrick Truman gave the Q&A section 13-year-old girl told him that her brother was addicted to pornography.

Mr. Truman asked her where display with accessing the content and she told him at school. This revealed to us that the private problem that a great number of schools and public libraries do not have filtering software on their computers to prevent exposure to explicit material and an even larger number had ineffective filtering software for safe school safe libraries that he said is a grassroots campaign that we designed to empower parents with the tools necessary to identify the local schools and public libraries were children are at risk and to create that change libraries and schools are supposed to be places for children to go and learn, and for the community to come together, not a place with this obscene material is being distributed to agree with you more about that.

Fortunately, this is an issue that we been battling for a long long time and it's something that you all have surely been on the front lines with and so were grateful that she continued to stay in this flight to work to educate parents and the public about the potential exposure to unsafe materials both in schools and libraries. I like how much of a threat. Do you believe is accidental exposure to pornography and other dangerous material to children who are you currently using a libraries or school computers is very real at your library or school does not have filtering software. It's only a matter of time before children either stumble across the explicit material themselves or see it from someone else's computer screen. There are unfortunately many stories on our website safe school safe libraries.com parents whose children were accidentally exposed and even more concerning is that easy access to obscene material makes pizza places an attraction for predators.

Early libraries child pornography can often be accessed in public library computers. There several cases in these locations as indecent exposure or even assaults that can occur on because of that, so I would definitely say that it's a very serious problem.

Surprising things that you mentioned is that a large number libraries and schools across the country. Although they could afford to have it in them. Some of the software maybe for you or have different costs associated, but many are libraries and schools across country do not have filtering software employees or the filtering software that they have is just completely inadequate. Many parents may be surprised, and frankly shocked to hear this again. After we been talking about this issue for many years but this still remains a problem. Do you have specific numbers. Haley wants more libraries and schools taking precautions to protect our kids against this potential exposure while unfortunately we do not have specific numbers on this is primarily because filtering decisions are typically made at a local level by each pool or library, but we know from a growing body of personal testimony that the number is large and the only way to find out if your school or library has filtering software is to directly at about why we want about federal and state laws regulating Internet user libraries and schools unload the children's Internet protection act which was passed in 2000 does have some regulations aimed at protecting children. Tell us about this wall and why it is not enough to protect our kids in schools and other public libraries is a great point to bring up. This is a federal law that basically tied additional federal funding program for Internet access for schools and libraries to a requirement of filtering obscene material on their computer.

So a school or library cannot receive discounts that are offered to it through the E rate program, which makes Internet more affordable unless they have policies and proof of filtering systems in order to protect children. What this law does not do if it does not require tracking of Internet use and it does allow for a librarian or a teacher to disable the blocking. If there's a specific research purpose that is being hindered by the filtering software and what people really means is that the federal government agrees that that that pornography and libraries is harmful to minors. It also means that if your school or library is refusing to have a filtering system and they are rejecting federal funding that is available to them which means that your local estate taxes need to compensate for that. Some people can view obscene material at your school or library and so really you know it's important to understand this line to understand that it's actually an aid in and the reason why we should be having this filtering system states have people like Lawson were smoking a lot of food into the picture. 24 currently have Internet filtering laws that apply to publicly funded older libraries. Now the majority of these states simply require that for them to adopt Internet use policies to prevent minors from accessing explicit material. However, some states also require filtering software to my knowledge, North Carolina. At this date does not have any Internet filtering law for schools or libraries, although sometimes may some towns have their own laws on that issue. So I would definitely encourage your listeners to petition on the state legislature concerning Matt that we would truly agree with you will not know, I know the National Center on sexual exploitation has listed the American Library Association is one of the top contributors to the sexual exploitation of minors. A libraries tell us briefly about the American Library Association and how they are really standing in the way of more libraries installing protective filtering software on their computers. Often apprised when they hear that the ALA is contributing to this sexual exploitation.

You know, you think of the American Library Association and think of some nice librarians who just want the best for your kids, but that really is not the case. The ALA actively encourages libraries to reject filtering system and it intentionally is spreading information to libraries, they often tell libraries that it would violate someone's First Amendment right to have a filter on their computers.

Now this is blatantly false. In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled that filtering library computers is a legitimate way to protect children from harmful material. The Supreme Court has also repeatedly upheld that the First Amendment does not include obscenity.

But despite this, the ALA continues to push its own agenda which is lighted on our dirty dozen left what they can do to help ensure that the proper protections are in place at the public schools and libraries and also not only that their employees but that there being properly enforced, as you alluded to earlier ways that filtering software can be deactivated or there just may not be the oversight, it's necessary to ensure the proper implementation of the filtering software another to have a great distorted packet on your website. Show those if you will. Some of the questions that parents should ask, some of the things that are included in the get started packet don't think it really having parents first of all ask questions of the libraries and schools about what is being used, how it's been implemented is really a great place to start because report also and if you hear that there is filtering software employees. You may be under the impression that it's actually being used and that it's effective but it's important for parents to probe further so talk about the get started packet and what parents can do while you are absolutely right. I would definitely recommend I'm concerned parent to go try website school safe library.com Accepted this get started packet. Some questions that it suggests include asking whether it is a member someone who is working at your library or at your school. If they have a policy about pornography and if so asking to have a hard copy of that policy that you can reference later. You can ask them if they have filters and if and how the filters can be disabled. Some schools and libraries.

Like you said may have software but it could be ineffective. It's definitely important to not only ask about filtering, but its effectiveness and not really will often get the ball rolling. The ball gets rolling. Determines that the library or school does not have filtering software employees only if there is been a problem with that software being breached or being deactivated. What steps should parents take to help rectify the problem covered in our get started packet. There are many ways to proceed. Every town is a little bit different and this really is a local and community problem. We had several success stories where it only took a few like-minded parents attending one or two public library board meetings to present the harm the pornography and the danger of its access around minors so you don't need a law degree to make a change in this area which is really exciting begins by finding others in your community who agree with you and respectfully but consistently approaching the administration of your local library or school library school responds in ways you have suggested that they may do, especially if you're following the American Library Association approached the installing filtering software amounts to censorship of information. How would you recommend the parents with lots of them. How can I deal with about half of the objection from the libraries. Well I have them make sure to let let the library school know that it's not censorship. According to the Supreme Court has Artie said that 2003 Supreme Court would support them and also the fact that obscenity is not covered under the First Amendment. You know, we encourage everyone to be respectful in any meetings with library or school administration. But filtering is not only upheld by the Supreme Court, but it is also not censorship of information filtering software can be temporarily disabled if an individual has a research project or needs to access information that the software it for some reason, is blocking filtering. It's really just a safeguard to allow children the place to learn and form community without being put in a dangerous position around predators and without being exposed to the explicit content. Now there are a lot of different types of Internet filtering software on the market and I know it could be overwhelming for listeners up there consistently goes to review all these different software programs and figure out which ones are affected which ones are not those of the National Center on sexual exploitation have a recommended list of filtering programs in organization and CSEA does not endorse products if you would go to the resources section on the website.

You can see different filtering programs that we had had interaction with in the past and had good experiences with such as covenant eyes and many other which can give you a good place to start in selecting your program and we also would really recommend your listeners to look at that section in order to see what kind of programs could even be used to help filter Internet use in their own home.

Well, that's a good point to think it's as important as parents are not only involved in seeking to protect children from exposure school with public libraries that the poor are as concerned about what's taking place in the home and so I think that's a very important point. Unfortunately Haley were just about out of time for this week. I know that you all have a lot of great resources on your website. Tell us again if you would those web addresses were folks can go to avail themselves of the information that the National Center on social exportation has and also about the site school safe library campaign.

Absolutely you can go to our website www.andthatemdsexualexploitation.org or you can also go specifically to the webpage for this project, which is safe schools, libraries.com repeat those websites.

Again, that is and EMD sexual exploitation.org again and social exportation.org and also safe schools safe libraries.com and again we would encourage the listeners to go and access this information.

Understand what you can do to play a role in helping protect children without Haley Halverson. I want to thank you so much for taking the time to be with us on family policy matters this week especially for your great work with the National Center on social exportation. Thank you so much family matters. Information and analysis of the North Carolina family policy Council join us weekly for discussion on policy issues affecting the family. If you have questions or comments, please contact 919-807-0800 or visit our website and see family doctor walking