ALA disappointed by House passage of bill that will block key web applications

Contact: Bernadette Murphy


ALA Washington Office


(202) 628-8410


bmurphy@alawash.org

For Immediate Release


July 26, 2006

ALA disappointed by House passage of bill that will block key web applications

(WASHINGTON) The following is a statement from ALA President Leslie Burger:

“ALA is disappointed by the House’s passage (410-15) today of H.R. 5319, the ‘Deleting Online Predators Act’ (DOPA). This unnecessary and overly broad legislation will hinder students’ ability to engage in distance learning and block library computer users from accessing a wide array of essential Internet applications including instant messaging, email, wikis and blogs.

“Under DOPA, people who use library and school computers as their primary conduits to the Internet will be unfairly blocked from accessing some of the web’s most powerful emerging technologies and learning applications. As libraries are already required to block content that is “harmful to minors” under the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA),
DOPA is redundant and unnecessary legislation.

“Librarians are very concerned with the need to protect children from online predators, and we know that the best way to protect our kids from harm is by teaching them to make wise choices online.”