The ACLU of Florida is denying a January 4 Jacksonville Times-Union editorial, cited on library listservs and other online outlets, that it is "backing away from a lawsuit against the Jacksonville Public Library" for using Internet blocking software.
"None of the key statements in their editorial is remotely true," ACLU of Florida Legal Director Andrew Kayton told American Libraries. He emphasized that the ACLU has never threatened JPL with a lawsuit, but has only sought public documents pertaining to the library board's November 13 decision to filter. JPL Community Relations Director Victoria Alexander, in turn, confirmed that "the library hasn't been notified of any stance" from the civil-rights organization since it complied with Kayton's information request in December.
However, Kayton did confirm his chapter's decision not to take legal action for the time being against Orange County (Fla.) Library's use of WebSense, the same software JPL installed.
Posted January 26, 1998.