

Is Internet censorship in schools legal? - taeyoungwoo

Is Internet censorship in schools legal? What is your opinion on web filtering in private education institutions (pre-college, college)?
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jgeorge
Censorship on the Internet is more of a core network issue - if so-and-so
access point filters your connection, you're really not being "censored" as
long as there's some other way for you to get unfiltered content through
reasonable means. When you can't get access to something because _all_
reasonable access methods are being blocked, or content is being blocked
systematically across the net, then censorship as a concept comes in to play.

Your actual end-point connection to the Internet isn't really an issue of
censorship or not. If a school filters content, you're really not being
censored if you could just go home and access what you're trying to get, or
even get a wireless connection through a cell carrier. It may not be
convenient, and it may cost you money you otherwise wouldn't have to spend,
but it's certainly not an issue of censorship.

For some small access providers (not ISPs but small access points like
schools, public access, free hotspots at stores, etc) there's a fear of
liability in that they're too small to reliably claim Safe Harbor under the
DMCA, so anyone using their access points for illicit purposes could be a
liability issue for them. Other times personal preference for the access
provider comes into play (you probably can't get porn site access from your
church's wifi network), and others view Internet access as a necessary evil
(you need access to the Internet for specific reason(s) but they filter out
what they feel is unnecessary for use of their network - my workplace filters
many social media sites because they're not considered "work related").

My more succinct opinion on filtering in educational institutions is "he who
has the ball makes the rules"... with the caveat that as long as you can go
play ball with someone else's rules you like better, then it's fine by me.

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GoofyGewber
Yes, you're using their internet connection. Their internet, their rules. If
you don't like it, buy a hotspot.

