The U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science held an open hearing November 10 in Arlington, Virginia, on "Kids and the Internet: The Promise and the Perils."
In her testimony, ALA President Ann Symons acknowledged the recent attention paid to the perils of the Internet, but maintained that "far less public attention has been given to building the promise of the Internet." Other librarians testifying were Filtering Facts founder David Burt, who supported the use of filters by all minors unless their parents choose otherwise; C. Ray Ewick, president of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies; and Urban Libraries Council President Joey Rodger.
Author and attorney Andrew Vachss vividly described predatory pedophiles on the Internet, calling librarians' concerns about censorship "the new McCarthyism." ALA's Washington Office reports that his testimony was warmly received by many of the commissioners.
Also speaking were representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Trade Commission, the Center for Democracy and Technology, Enough Is Enough, the Family Research Council, and People for the American Way.
Posted November 16, 1998.