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Libertarians Drop Ventura County Library Suit

The Libertarian Party of Ventura County has agreed to drop its challenge of the Ventura County (Calif.) Library Services Agency's Internet acceptable-use policy, on the condition that the agency substitutes the word "obscene" for the term "sexually explicit" in its description of sites all patrons are asked to promise in writing not to visit when using library terminals.

"I applaud the county for sitting down and looking for other ways to protect minors," plaintiff attorney William John Weilbacher told the Ventura County Star May 7.

The May 6 stipulation agreement, which must be reviewed by a federal judge before it becomes binding, also specifies the installation of blocking software on children's-area computers. Conceding that it's unclear to what extent "public entities [can] restrict Internet access," County Counsel James McBride asserted nonetheless, "You can limit and treat minors differently than adults. The law is written to protect them."

Posted May 11, 1998.

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