Computers and Academic Freedom Labeling references
=============== ftp://ftp.eff.org/pub/CAF/faq/labeling ===============
q: Would creating a requirement that offensive material be labeled be
a way protect intellectual freedom?
a: Requiring labeling harms intellectual freedom. The references give
details of the problems.
ANNOTATED REFERENCES
(All these documents are available on-line. Access information follows.)
=================
library/labeling.ala
=================
* Labeling (ALA)
An interpretation by the American Library Association of the "Library
Bill of Rights"
It gives three reasons why labeling is bad. The first is that
"[l]abeling is an attempt to prejudice attitudes and as such, it is a
censor's tool."
=================
civil-liberty/pop-music.aclu
=================
* Popular Music Under Siege -- ACLU Briefing Paper #21
[To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"]
Answers these questions:
What's wrong with voluntary labeling? Isn't it, like movie rating, a
harmless way to give parents consumer information that can help them
make intelligent choices for their kids?
What about government labeling or classification of music lyrics?
What about laws that keep music with antisocial, misogynistic or violent
messages away from minors -- doesn't society have an obligation to protect
kids?
But what if someone listens to "Cop Killer" and then murders a police
officer? Don't lyrics that deal with sex, violence, drug use, suicide,
etc. cause anti-social behavior?
=================
civil-liberty/artistic-freedom.aclu
=================
* Artistic Freedom -- ACLU Briefing Paper #14
[To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"]
Answers these questions:
What protects the work of artists from government censorship?
When and how did the threat to artistic freedom emerge in this country?
How has the Supreme Court dealt with sexually explicit expression?
Why does the ACLU object to the obscenity exception to the First Amendment?
But don't obscene and pornographic works cause anti-social and even
violent behavior?
Even if the government can't suppress art, surely it shouldn't use
tax monies to fund art that offends!?
Why does the ACLU object to movie ratings, music labeling, or other
voluntary rating systems? Don't they give guidance to
consumers, especially parents?
But mustn't we protect our children from inappropriate messages and
images, especially graphic sex and violence?
Defending artists is fine, but why does the ACLU spend time and money
defending pornographers and sleaze merchants?
=================
library/freedom-to-read.ala
=================
* Freedom to Read Statement (ALA)
and Association of American Publishers.
It says in part: "We trust Americans to recognize propaganda, and to
reject it. We do not believe they need the help of censors to assist
them in this task. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice
their heritage of a free press in order to be "protected" against what
others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free
enterprise in ideas and expression."
=================
law/riley-v-nfb
=================
* Expression -- Labeling
A summary of _Riley v. National Federation of the Blind_ from an
_Wired_ 2.11 article about computer game labeling. In that case, the
Supreme Court said the government generally does not have authority to
compel speech. Specifically, it could not require charity solicitors
to detail how much money was going to professional fund raisers.
=================
law/moderator.rights
=================
* Expression -- Moderator Rights
A summary of the rights of an editor/moderator. Addresses the
question: "if a moderator is government-site-based, what is his or her
authority/right to exclude material?" (It also talks about a private
author/publisher's right to exclude material.)
=================
=================
If you have gopher, you can browse the CAF archive with the command
gopher gopher.eff.org
These document(s) are also available by anonymous ftp (the preferred
method) and by email. To get the file(s) via ftp, do an anonymous ftp
to ftp.eff.org (192.77.172.4), and then:
cd /pub/CAF/library
get labeling.ala
cd /pub/CAF/civil-liberty
get pop-music.aclu
cd /pub/CAF/civil-liberty
get artistic-freedom.aclu
cd /pub/CAF/library
get freedom-to-read.ala
cd /pub/CAF/law
get riley-v-nfb
cd /pub/CAF/law
get moderator.rights
To get the file(s) by email, send email to ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com
Include the line(s):
connect ftp.eff.org
cd /pub/CAF/library
get labeling.ala
cd /pub/CAF/civil-liberty
get pop-music.aclu
cd /pub/CAF/civil-liberty
get artistic-freedom.aclu
cd /pub/CAF/library
get freedom-to-read.ala
cd /pub/CAF/law
get riley-v-nfb
cd /pub/CAF/law
get moderator.rights
--
Carl Kadie -- I do not represent any organization or employer; this is just me.
= Email: kadie@cs.uiuc.edu =
= URL: