ITIS 1210ITIS 1210Introduction to Web-Based Introduction to Web-Based
Information SystemsInformation Systems
Chapter 52Chapter 52Parental Controls on the InternetParental Controls on the Internet
IntroductionIntroduction
Advantage of the InternetAdvantage of the Internet Free flow of informationFree flow of information Uncontrolled by any central agency or Uncontrolled by any central agency or
governmentgovernment
NecessarilyNecessarily Some of that informationSome of that information Will be objectionable to someoneWill be objectionable to someone Hate sites, pornography, political sitesHate sites, pornography, political sites
IntroductionIntroduction
Availability of informationAvailability of information Leads to attempts to control that informationLeads to attempts to control that information
Typical argument:Typical argument: The children should not be exposed to…The children should not be exposed to…
Why children?Why children? Lack of judgmentLack of judgment Unformed ideas that could be easily swayedUnformed ideas that could be easily swayed
IntroductionIntroduction
Number of efforts over the years to ban or Number of efforts over the years to ban or control certain contentcontrol certain content Communications Decency Act of 1996Communications Decency Act of 1996 1: Attempted to regulate both indecency & 1: Attempted to regulate both indecency &
obscenityobscenity 2: Operators of Internet services were not to 2: Operators of Internet services were not to
be considered as publishersbe considered as publishers
CDACDA
Most controversy was around indecency Most controversy was around indecency on the Interneton the Internet
FCC had controlled TV & radio for yearsFCC had controlled TV & radio for years Offensive speech restricted to certain times of Offensive speech restricted to certain times of
the day (minors less likely to be exposed)the day (minors less likely to be exposed) 10 PM and 6 AM10 PM and 6 AM
Violators could lose licenses & be finedViolators could lose licenses & be fined
Lenny BruceLenny Bruce George Carlin’s Seven Dirty WordsGeorge Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words
CDACDA
Internet had only become public in 1992Internet had only become public in 1992 Not covered under previous lawsNot covered under previous laws CDA was 1CDA was 1stst attempt to cover both attempt to cover both
InternetInternet Cable TVCable TV
Congress passed Feb 1, 1996Congress passed Feb 1, 1996 President Clinton signed into law Feb 8President Clinton signed into law Feb 8
CDACDA
knowingly (A) uses an interactive computer service to send to a specific person or persons under 18 years of age, or (B) uses any interactive computer service to display in a manner available to a person under 18 years of age, any comment, request, suggestion, proposal, image, or other communication that, in context, depicts or describes, in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards, sexual or excretory activities or organs.
CDACDA
June 1996 federal panel in PA overturned June 1996 federal panel in PA overturned part of CDApart of CDA Infringed on free speech rights of adultsInfringed on free speech rights of adults
July 1996 federal court in NY overturned July 1996 federal court in NY overturned part protecting children as too broadpart protecting children as too broad
June 1997 Supreme Court upheld PA June 1997 Supreme Court upheld PA decisiondecision Reno vs. American Civil Liberties UnionReno vs. American Civil Liberties Union
CDACDA
Reno vs. ACLU: Indecency provisions of Reno vs. ACLU: Indecency provisions of CDA were an unconstitutional CDA were an unconstitutional abridgement of the First Amendment right abridgement of the First Amendment right to free speech becauseto free speech because They did not permit parents to decide for They did not permit parents to decide for
themselves what material was acceptable for themselves what material was acceptable for their childrentheir children
Extended to non-commercial speech, andExtended to non-commercial speech, and Did not define "patently offensive," a term with Did not define "patently offensive," a term with
no prior legal meaning no prior legal meaning
CDACDA
2003 Congress removed those portions of 2003 Congress removed those portions of CDA that had been struck downCDA that had been struck down
Separate challenge by Separate challenge by Nitke v. Gonzales in 2005in 2005 Internet does not permit publishers to restrict Internet does not permit publishers to restrict
destinations based on geographydestinations based on geography Act in effect restricted the entire Internet to Act in effect restricted the entire Internet to
the standards of the most restrictive the standards of the most restrictive community onlinecommunity online
CDACDA
Unfairly restricted her freedom of speechUnfairly restricted her freedom of speech Struck down by NY federal court in 2005Struck down by NY federal court in 2005
Plaintiffs had not presented sufficient Plaintiffs had not presented sufficient evidenceevidence
Decision affirmed by Supreme Court in 2006Decision affirmed by Supreme Court in 2006
Other effortsOther efforts
Child Online Protection Act of 1998Child Online Protection Act of 1998 Purpose was to protect minors from harmful Purpose was to protect minors from harmful
sexual material on the Internetsexual material on the Internet Required commercial distributors of “material Required commercial distributors of “material
harmful to minors” to restrict minors access to harmful to minors” to restrict minors access to their sitestheir sites
Other effortsOther efforts
Material harmful defined to meanMaterial harmful defined to mean By contemporary community standardsBy contemporary community standards Appealed to prurient interestAppealed to prurient interest Showed sexual acts or nudity (included Showed sexual acts or nudity (included
topless women)topless women)
In 1999 Third Circuit Court of Appeals In 1999 Third Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the lawstruck down the law Using “community standards” was too broadUsing “community standards” was too broad
Other effortsOther efforts
Supreme Court found this reasoning Supreme Court found this reasoning insufficient & returned to lower courtinsufficient & returned to lower court
2003, Third Circuit struck down again2003, Third Circuit struck down again Finding hindered protected speech among Finding hindered protected speech among
adultsadults
2004 Supreme Court upheld this ruling2004 Supreme Court upheld this ruling Noted that filtering software had improved Noted that filtering software had improved As not taken into accountAs not taken into account
Other effortsOther efforts
March 2007 COPA struck down againMarch 2007 COPA struck down again Government permanently enjoined from Government permanently enjoined from
enforcing it sayingenforcing it saying
“… perhaps we do the minors of this country harm if First Amendment protections, which they will with age inherit fully, are chipped away in the name of their protection.”
Other effortsOther efforts
Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000 Introduced by John McCain in 1999Introduced by John McCain in 1999 Passed both houses in December 2000Passed both houses in December 2000 Signed by President Clinton on Dec 21, 2000Signed by President Clinton on Dec 21, 2000 Challenged in 2001 by American Library Challenged in 2001 by American Library
AssocAssoc
Other effortsOther efforts
Previous challenges lost on 1Previous challenges lost on 1stst Amendment groundsAmendment grounds
CIPA represented a change of strategyCIPA represented a change of strategy Federal government has no direct means Federal government has no direct means
of controlling local school/library boardsof controlling local school/library boards HOWEVER, normally, telecommunications HOWEVER, normally, telecommunications
users pay a universal service taxusers pay a universal service tax Libraries receive an “e-rate” discount to Libraries receive an “e-rate” discount to
purchase Internet access and computerspurchase Internet access and computers
Other effortsOther efforts
CIPA required libraries and schools using CIPA required libraries and schools using these discounts tothese discounts to Purchase and use a “technology protection Purchase and use a “technology protection
measure”measure” On every computer connected to the InternetOn every computer connected to the Internet
Other effortsOther efforts
“ … “ … a technology protection measure with a technology protection measure with respect to any of its computers with Internet respect to any of its computers with Internet access that protects against access through access that protects against access through such computers to visual depictions that are such computers to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors … “minors … “
Other effortsOther efforts
Further, CIPA required that these Further, CIPA required that these measures be in effect during any use by measures be in effect during any use by minorsminors
For adults the same provisions applied For adults the same provisions applied except the harmful to minors part was except the harmful to minors part was deleteddeleted
Measures could be disabled during use by Measures could be disabled during use by an adult for research or other lawful an adult for research or other lawful purposespurposes
Other effortsOther efforts
ALA challenged on grounds that CIPA ALA challenged on grounds that CIPA required libraries to block access to required libraries to block access to constitutionally protected speechconstitutionally protected speech Enforcement involved removing federal funds Enforcement involved removing federal funds
intended to assist disadvantaged minoritiesintended to assist disadvantaged minorities ““Digital Divide”Digital Divide”
No filtering software could accurately No filtering software could accurately differentiate between illegal and protected differentiate between illegal and protected speech on the Internetspeech on the Internet
Other effortsOther efforts
PA Court of Appeals agreedPA Court of Appeals agreed Supreme Court overturnedSupreme Court overturned
Legal for federal government to include Legal for federal government to include conditions imposed on receipt of fundingconditions imposed on receipt of funding
Further, CIPA is constitutional if the library will Further, CIPA is constitutional if the library will unblock at an adult’s requestunblock at an adult’s request
Some libraries did choose to forego Some libraries did choose to forego federal fundingfederal funding
Parental Controls On the InternetParental Controls On the Internet
Is the answer inIs the answer in Legislation?Legislation? Technology?Technology?
Textbook suggests technologyTextbook suggests technology Software that permits parents to control Software that permits parents to control
accessaccess
Parental Controls On the InternetParental Controls On the Internet
SurfWatch CyberPatrolCyberPatrol
Net Nanny Platform for Internet Content SelectionPlatform for Internet Content Selection
PICS
Parental Controls On the InternetParental Controls On the Internet
AOL also filters content and blocks accessAOL also filters content and blocks access PICS is working with industry toPICS is working with industry to
Develop standards to rate all Internet contentDevelop standards to rate all Internet content Software could be developed to block access Software could be developed to block access
for children based on these suitability ratingsfor children based on these suitability ratings
Business also into the frayBusiness also into the fray Lost productivityLost productivity Liability for harassment, hostile workplace Liability for harassment, hostile workplace
suitssuits
How Parental Controls WorkHow Parental Controls Work
SurfWatch consists of a module that scans input SurfWatch consists of a module that scans input from the Internetfrom the Internet Intercepts it before it reaches the TCP/IP stackIntercepts it before it reaches the TCP/IP stack Checks URLS most likely to contain offensive contentChecks URLS most likely to contain offensive content
HTTPHTTP NNTP (news)NNTP (news) FTPFTP Gopher (distributed document search and retrieval network Gopher (distributed document search and retrieval network
protocol designed for the Internet )protocol designed for the Internet ) IRCIRC
How Parental Controls WorkHow Parental Controls Work
Content from these URLS is isolatedContent from these URLS is isolated 11stst check: objectionable URLS check: objectionable URLS
Checked against a database of URLS from Checked against a database of URLS from objectionable sitesobjectionable sites
Content not permitted thru to TCP/IP stackContent not permitted thru to TCP/IP stack User notified that site has been blockedUser notified that site has been blocked
How Parental Controls WorkHow Parental Controls Work
22ndnd check: Pattern matching check: Pattern matching Words in URL indicative of offensive contentWords in URL indicative of offensive content Content not permitted thru to TCP/IP stackContent not permitted thru to TCP/IP stack User notified that site has been blockedUser notified that site has been blocked
33rdrd check: PICS check: PICS Information about content embedded in Web Information about content embedded in Web
documentsdocuments Content not permitted thru to TCP/IP stackContent not permitted thru to TCP/IP stack User notified that site has been blockedUser notified that site has been blocked
How Parental Controls WorkHow Parental Controls Work
If content passes all checks it is permitted If content passes all checks it is permitted throughthrough Process is very fast so user sees no delayProcess is very fast so user sees no delay
Database updated monthly to keep up with Database updated monthly to keep up with new developmentsnew developments
Businesses use SurfWatch on a server to Businesses use SurfWatch on a server to protect their business networkprotect their business network
Problems with SurfWatchProblems with SurfWatch
Early efforts had some amusing momentsEarly efforts had some amusing moments 19961996
White House page about Bill & Hillary, Al White House page about Bill & Hillary, Al & Tipper& Tipper Page named “couples.html”Page named “couples.html” Renamed “principles.html”Renamed “principles.html”
Archie R. Dykes Medical LibraryArchie R. Dykes Medical Library Library blocked from browsing their own siteLibrary blocked from browsing their own site
Problems with SurfWatchProblems with SurfWatch
University of Kansas Medical CenterUniversity of Kansas Medical Center Library
