Spring Break
Library pornography spurs concern
San Jose councilman argues for filtered computer use at SJSU
Jesse Kimbrel
Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: News
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Constant is concerned with children viewing "second-hand porn" while visiting San Jose's public libraries, which includes the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library.
His definition of "second-hand porn" is when a child views pornography over the shoulder of a library computer user.
Constant said he first became aware there was a problem when people in his district expressed concern after they had seen a television news report that showed people committing lewd acts in San Jose's public libraries.
"My biggest group of supporters are parents," Constant said.
He said 50 percent of libraries nationwide use some sort of Internet filtering system.
The California Library Association sent a letter to the director of the King Library, Jane Light, expressing support for the current library Internet policy.
The letter was sent in response to councilman Constant's proposal saying that it's not possible to block all Web sites that could be harmful to children.
The California Library Association was unavailable for comment.
"The city shouldn't be paying for people to view porn," Constant said.
He said that all the city funded computers in San Jose besides the one's in the libraries have filters on them.
"People shouldn't be looking at porn in the library," said Olivia Enriquez, a business major at SJSU.
Enriquez also said that Internet filters could cause a problem for students who are trying to research information for school.
"Children can get porn anywhere. If they don't see it at the library, kids will see it in other places," said Sarah Jasso, a psychology major.
Jasso said she knows students who only have access to the Internet via the library computers, so it's important for them to be able to research whatever topic they need to.
Constant said he isn't concerned with what SJSU students are using the library computers for because he believes "99.9 percent of students are using the computers for the right reason."
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 6
Garret
posted 2/06/08 @ 8:23 AM PST
Is it just me, or is it preposterous to allow people to view porn at a public library? I thought a library is suppose to be an institution of learning. (Continued…)
Annd
posted 2/06/08 @ 12:49 PM PST
No it's not just you. I agree with you. Although porn itself doesn't bother me, it bothers me for it to be in a public place. Almost everytime I go there I see someone looking at porn (just walking by trying to find a seat!). (Continued…)
Luke Appleton
posted 2/07/08 @ 11:22 PM PST
All this fuss about people watching porn. Is that why most of the screens have tinted covers over them now?
I was wondering what that was about.
I was starting to get sick of people using social networking sites to slut themselves but at least they stopped shouting to each other across the rows about it. (Continued…)
Garret
posted 2/08/08 @ 9:19 AM PST
Nobody has a problem with people social networking in the library; it is the viewing of porn on public-funded library computers that disturbs us. It's plain and simple: for as long as taxpayers pay for these computers, filter them. (Continued…)
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