The Children's Internet Protection Act requires public libraries to filter Internet access for underage Netizens if they want to keep getting federal funds, with a July 1 deadline; but a Cincinnati newspaper said libraries in the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana local hub beat the deadline well in advance.
The Campbell County (Kentucky) Public Library told the Cincinnati Post it had filtering in place since 1997, while libraries in Hamilton County (Ohio) have already allowed adult patrons to disable filtering by using their library cards and personal identification numbers. In three other regional counties – Kenton, Boone, and Campbell – the librarians must disable the filters, the Post said.
"These computers are located in adult sections of the library to try to restrict abuse of the cards by minors," said Amy Banister of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County to the newspaper. "Our library is sensitive to trying to balance preventing children from viewing something inappropriate with allowing adults their rights to access information."
Campbell told the Post that, in instances where kids needed access to blocked sites for research – sites that weren't adult sites but still turned up in the filters' pincers based on certain keyword terms – the librarians will access the site and print the material for the kids as long as their parents approve.
Critics of the CIPA argued that it obstructed adults' First Amendment rights, provoking the law's alteration to allow libraries to enable filter disabling for adults, the Post said.
