Activity 2D
C&I 335
Summer, 1998
Karen Bennett
Glenwood High School
Chatham, IL
________________________________________________________________________
Legalities, Ethics & Issues
FREE SPEECH
www.webactive.com/webactive/events/cda/cda.ram)
The site I contacted first contained an audio press conference from June 26, 1997. The conference was held after the Supreme Court ruled that the Communications Decency Act (CDA) violated the first amendment. Bruce Ennis, attorney who argued on behalf of the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition (CIEC), claimed that this decision is "the legal birth certificate for the Internet". The CIEC, made up of librarians, civil liberties groups, internet service providers and 57,000 internet users, was formed to challenge the CDA. The group believes that parents should control what children have access to, and that enough software safeguards are available. They do not believe that there should be anyone judging what is "decent" for others. The librarians and ISPs feared the part of the law that holds them legally responsible for display of "indecent" material and included fines and possible prison terms. Apparently the judges agreed. The site encourages members to stay active as the fight for free speech continues. They cited new bills in the legislature, including Senators McCain and Coats' bills.
Interestingly, on the same day I read the above article, I alsoheard a program on FOCUS ON THE FAMILY (www.family.org/cforum/hotissues/A0001919.html) appealing to listeners to support two bills seeking to control pornography on the internet. I went to their site and read their position on them. They are concerned that although there are programs to limit what kids have access to, many parents are totally unaware that they are needed. Many parents know very little about what "surfing the web" is all about. Too many young people have a computer in their room, plenty of time to explore and no supervision.
BOTH sides want parents INVOLVED. They agree on this point, at least.
I think that I might just open class with this question, "Should anyone be able to put anything they want on the web?" I would expect some very quick "yes" answers. But I also would expect deeper thinkers to counter. In the friendly debate that ensued, I would ask how much input their parents have into their actions. How much should they have? At what age do you get "smart enough" to make these decisions for yourself?
I would, at some point, endeavor to discuss with them the responsibility that comes with freedom. That it is important that they have access to all the information they may need, but that, as users of the internet, they must take responsibility, both for what they produce and for what they take in!
CENSORSHIP
(www.eff.org/pub/censorship/internet_censorship_bills/1998_McCain_Coats_bills
There was some overlap in the articles on free speech and censorship. The Blue Ribbon Campaign for Online Freedom of Expression had a page discussing the McCain and Coats bills with the bias that these are censorship.
The Netparents Organization lists tools to allow parents to control kids acess to online materials. The list and review blocking softwares such as Safe Surf, Net Shepherd and RSACi. These are supported by Microsoft Internet Explorer.
The line certainly blurs over what is censorship and what is prudent control over material!!! I believe I would discuss the need for control at some age levels with my students.
SEXUAL PREDATORS
(www.family.org/cforum/hotissues/a0001947.html)
An article on Focus on the Families website cited many cases of children being lured by someone they "met" in a chat room. They were pretty scary stories. The parents of the victims are frustrated because they don't have a means to prosecute since the Supreme Court struck down CDA. A federal circuit court ruled the Internet Service Provider not liable for chat room pornographic talk.
I would warn students, (although it seems that high school students are pretty wise to the ways of the world) to beware of revealing personal information, and NEVER to meet someone in person.
fraud
Although there were lots of kinds of fraud to deal with, (a whole site about internet fraud!! telemarketing, against the elderly, etc.) the article I read most carefully was on identity theft. It was a presentation given that included: how they get this info, the damage done to the victims, the mess created and what they have to do to fix it, and hope through new legislation that may help prevent (and prosecute) this type of theft. This presentation can be found at (www.privacyrights.org/ar/id_theft_legis.html).
I would caution my students against supplying personal information especially revealing their social security number or driver's license number. I would make them aware that this problem exists and encourage them to think defensively about what they give up when they supply information.