KGO: Porn, Sex Crimes At Libraries
KGO did an investigation of Porn in the Libraries!! that raises some interesting questions. They sensationalize the story as much as they can—that is the way TV news works—but their shocking revelations are not that shocking to me. Yes, homeless people—unsanitary, unruly, broken-down homeless people—frequent the library to get warm, use the bathrooms, and get some sleep. Yes, people use public web terminals to browse all kinds of porn. None of this is news. The reporters don't mention it, but guess what, you're kids can browse that porn too. They almost certainly have been exposed to it to some degree if they spend any time on the web. So public porn browsing in the library is not a shocker and is not a unique threat to our kids.
The most interesting part of the segment comes towards the end. They conclude, correctly in my opinion, that web filters and other policy "solutions" are doomed. They don't filter all porn. They curb legitimate uses. They are an ineffective approach that raises their own set of problems. What does work are vigilant grownups who don't tolerate unsafe, unwanted behavior. Oakland's public library is a positive example they contrast with San Jose and San Francisco. The librarians make a point of not tolerating unwanted behavior and it makes a difference. The police detail at our main library should be making sure that homeless people are not camping in the library. They should be able to respond quickly to any librarian that needs help dealing with unruly patrons. And librarians, knowing they have the cops at their back, need to monitor library visitors more actively.
Meanwhile, if you think the library is safely cloistered from the grisly world around it, think again. If you are outraged that your child might be exposed to porn on someone else's web terminal at the library, you need to take precautions. But really, open your eyes. They will see porn on their own web terminal sooner or later. If you are concerned, you need to have a talk with them.
The most interesting part of the segment comes towards the end. They conclude, correctly in my opinion, that web filters and other policy "solutions" are doomed. They don't filter all porn. They curb legitimate uses. They are an ineffective approach that raises their own set of problems. What does work are vigilant grownups who don't tolerate unsafe, unwanted behavior. Oakland's public library is a positive example they contrast with San Jose and San Francisco. The librarians make a point of not tolerating unwanted behavior and it makes a difference. The police detail at our main library should be making sure that homeless people are not camping in the library. They should be able to respond quickly to any librarian that needs help dealing with unruly patrons. And librarians, knowing they have the cops at their back, need to monitor library visitors more actively.
Meanwhile, if you think the library is safely cloistered from the grisly world around it, think again. If you are outraged that your child might be exposed to porn on someone else's web terminal at the library, you need to take precautions. But really, open your eyes. They will see porn on their own web terminal sooner or later. If you are concerned, you need to have a talk with them.
2 Comments:
so sad. i've heard from many city employees how the main branch of the library is the most expensive homeless shelter per square foot any where in the world. what a joke. these people should not be allowed in any public institution to kill time. they do not want help, they should be institutionalized.
This is simply unbelievable. I mean, these are computers are out in the damn open. Also, what about the laws against exposure of harmful materials to minors? You'd think the sheer embarassment of looking at this stuff in public would deter them, but it doesn't.
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