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from www.onenewsnow.com – One California county believes it may have found a solution to restricting public Internet access to porn without violating the First Amendment.
In an effort to crack down on pornography in public libraries, Orange County Public Libraries has adopted a policy to place filters on all library computers. That was decided after OCPL, including the Rancho Santa Margarita, Laguna Beach and Aliso Viejo branch libraries, wrote Supervisor Pat Bates about the “outcry from residents” about the ability to view such material at public libraries.
The policy will be enforced in all 34 libraries in the county, requiring adults over the age of 18 to request removal of the filter in order to view porn. A parent or guardian over the age of 18 must be present to request removal of the filter for their underage children.
“The interesting thing is it will help crack down on pornography,” says Dawn Hawkins, executive director of Morality in Media (MIM).
“Most people who want to view pornography are not going to feel comfortable asking for the filter to be removed for that reason.”
Hawkins notes that a court recently ruled that libraries can deny access to pornography in Washington state, and she submits that Orange County could do the same.
“They could have a completely no porn policy if they wanted. It is within their rights,” she asserts.
“And then, even if a person, an adult wanted to view pornography and ask for that, they can choose to still not allow that. And that’s what they should be doing.”
California officials say the new policy gives them the ability to crack down on pornography, while avoiding potential concerns of censorship and First Amendment violations.