• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

OCDO Censored at Henrico Public Library!

nuc65

Activist Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
Messages
1,121
Location
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA
This is a PUBLIC library:


Perhaps Library Management feels the content provided by OCDO is unsuitable for teens and younger.

Perhaps educating the yung'uns outside of school of issues regarding the constitution and civil liberties is best left to the liberal instructors molding their yung minds to be compliant to TSA assault, police search and seizure absent RAS and PC, and the real role of government in the US.
 
Last edited:

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Have you approached the library with your concerns? What, if anything, has been their response?

In Chesterfield I can get access to sites that might otherwise be filtered if I agree to use a "privacy screen" so that little minds and sensibilities are not offended. It blocks others from seeing the screen even if they are standing behind me - unless they squat down and get in line with the microslats. To do that they would have to be literally looking over my shoulder as the arc of visibility is very narrow.

As for the youngun's - have you inquired as to what permissions from the 'rents they might need in order to get access if they so desired?

Yes, it sticks in my craw that a library would filter out anything - at least on the general use 'puters - but it may be easier to deal with (as in avoiding lawsuits and criminal charges) filters than the library trying to corral all the under-age patrons into just one area and one set of terminals.

Please come back with some answers to the questions posed. We'll be here waiting.

stay safe.
 

TraumaRN

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
82
Location
Central Virginia
From their policies section

"In order to block access to materials that may be inappropriate for juveniles, public computers in Children's areas, Young Adult areas, Computer Labs and wi-fi connections are always filtered. In addition, PCs in the aforementioned areas will not provide Internet Chat. Adults have the option of unfiltered access at all other public computers for bona fide research or other lawful purpose."

Which computers were you using? Is a forum considered "Internet Chat"? Don't see how OCDO fits any of the cited VAC sections (§ 42.1-36.1, 18.2-374.1:1, 18.2-390).

They have multiple magazines in periodicals section that feature weapons- Guns and Ammo, Virginia Game something or other, and others. At least the one in Sandston does.
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
From their policies section

"In order to block access to materials that may be inappropriate for juveniles, public computers in Children's areas, Young Adult areas, Computer Labs and wi-fi connections are always filtered. In addition, PCs in the aforementioned areas will not provide Internet Chat. Adults have the option of unfiltered access at all other public computers for bona fide research or other lawful purpose."

Which computers were you using? Is a forum considered "Internet Chat"? Don't see how OCDO fits any of the cited VAC sections (§ 42.1-36.1, 18.2-374.1:1, 18.2-390).

They have multiple magazines in periodicals section that feature weapons- Guns and Ammo, Virginia Game something or other, and others. At least the one in Sandston does.

The filters usually have key words. "Gun" seems to be one of the big ones.

I was playing with the 4g adapters at TMobile a few weeks ago. They even have filters (Including Gun) on their demo laptop.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
TraumaRN -

If I read the policy correctly, internet chat is filtered on the kiddie sections' computers but not in the grown-up terminals.

Again and still, I'm waiting to find out if Repeater has discussed this with the library officials, and if he did was it before or after posting ZOMG FILTERS!!11ELEVENTYONE!!

stay safe.
 

ak56

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
746
Location
Carnation, Washington, USA
I like the way our local library system handles it. (The King County Library System is one of the largest public library systems in the country.)

Logging in to the computers requires the use of your library card number.

Computers in the kids sections are heavily filtered - there is no way to override those filters.

General purpose computers in other areas are filtered depending on the settings that you have requested for your card number.

By default cards have some limited fitering. If you are 17 or over, you may have the filtering options removed for your card, or you may have the more restrictive filtering used in the kids section applied. Parents can have the more restrictive filtering applied to their childs card so that it applies to all computers in the library.

Wireless access is unfiltered.
 

Red Dawg

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
399
Location
Eastern VA, with too many people
This is just silly. Why would it filter a domain, with OPEN, CARRY, FORUM, or other inocuous words? What if some poor kid wanted to do a report on the history of weapons, and needed to know what GRAPESHOT was used for....If he googled grapeshot, wonder what he would get...Maybe that would back door him into the forum...
Didn't say, but I wonder if the filters can be chcnged/turned off at the library, or an over ride code for sites on a case by case basis.
 

Mike

Site Co-Founder
Joined
May 13, 2006
Messages
8,706
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia, USA
Contact the chief executive of the library system and ask them to remove the block - if they refuse, we may have some legal recourse - we may be able to sue them on First Amendment grounds.
 
Top