Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Paul Jones <pjones AT metalab.unc.edu>]

Even if you are a fan of internet filtering in schools and libraries, you
wil have strong reservations about Howard Lee's NC Senate Bill 1032 (aka
Minors' Internet Access Act.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/billnumber/billnumber.pl?Session=2001&BillID=s1032
will get you the full text of the bill.

The most of this bill is based on language struck down in Reno vs ACLU as
unconstitutional in violation of the Commerce Clause and the First
Ammendment.
The law would require filtering software that has been already found to
block access to sites such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse, breast
cancer research sites and more. Futher since the blocking software is
proprietary--you cannot know what is blocked nor can you change what is
blocked.
The law also makes it a crime for anyone to 'make accessible by computer'
material deemed harmful to minors putting the burden on the information
provider to drop the level of her content to that of an 8 year old.
The law also interferes with the teachers and instructors choices of
materials to be used in classes even at the college and university levels.
Further the law tries to make North Carolina's standard for minors to be
the national standard (using again language struck down in Reno vs ACLU).

You may reach Sen. Lee at howardl AT ncleg.net or 715-3030
To find out who represents you in the NC House, see
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/html2001/Representation/WhoRepresentsMe/index.html

Of course, you can use this information to relay your support for the bill
if you so choose.

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                             Paul Jones
                    "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!"
http://www.ibiblio.org/pjones/ at the Site Formerly Known As MetaLab.unc.edu
  pjones AT ibiblio.org   voice: (919) 962-7600     fax: (919) 962-8071
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