On the ever-informative LibraryLaw Blog Wednesday, Mary Minow posts a three-question interview with the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) executive director Beth Yoke about DOPA (Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006). In it, Yoke provides her 2 cents on the proposed legislation and her experience at the hearing. (Minow has stated that she believes the "law is blatantly unconstitutional," but warns, "that doesn't mean it won't get passed.")
Yoke testified, along with witnesses Amanda Lenhart [PDF] from the Pew Internet & American Life Project; Chris Kelly, VP at Facebook; and a few others, before Congress (H.R. 5319, the Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006, subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet) on Tuesday. (You can access the archive of the testimony, available at http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/
07112006hearing1974/hearing.htm.)
Beth notes, "The central issue for libraries regarding DOPA is education. Libraries
need to ramp up their efforts to provide Internet & information
literacy education and safety programs for kids, teens, parents and
caregivers. If people were more well informed about what social
networking sites are and knew & used basic Internet safety tips,
this cloud of fear may disperse."
In addition to Minow's post, Linda W. Braun posted "DOPA Hearing" about Tuesday's session on the YALSA Blog.
And for More...
Librarian in the Middle provides a helpful resource list of DOPA-related literature/articles/opinions.Technorati tags:
DOPA, library 2.0, library-20, social networking, web 2.0
Comments (3)
Sometime soon the U.S.
Sometime soon the U.S. Senate will be voting on whether to enact Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA). As the ALA Washington Office points out on its Washington Office Deleting Online Predators Act Page and OIF points out on its Online Social Networks page, DOPA is bad for libraries, library users, and just about everyone else. For one thing, schools and libraries are required under CIPA to block obscene or offensive internet content. DOPA is not necessary. For another, DOPA is much too broad. The bill proposes to block access to beneficial collaborative Web applications and resources. And for another, education is the best way to protect children from online predators. Blocking Web sites does not protect children—teaching them to use the Internet responsibly and safely does. Urge your Senators to oppose DOPA. See how at http://donwood.alablog.org/blog/_archives/2006/7/28/2172866.html
See also ALA President
See also ALA President Leslie Burger on DOPA Passage in House at http://donwood.alablog.org/blog/_archives/2006/7/27/2168582.html
URGENT Action Needed: The
URGENT Action Needed: The ALA Washington Office has learned that the US House of Representatives may try to expedite passage of H.R. 5319, the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA), TOMORROW, July 26th. The bill is moving forward as is, with no changes to the original language. PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE\'S OFFICE TODAY and ask that he/she oppose HR 5319. The Capitol Switchboard number is: 202-224-3121. To find out who your Representative in the House is, go here: http://www.house.gov/zip/ZIP2Rep.html To learn more about DOPA, please go here: http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/washnews/2006ndx/073jul25.htm Thank you for your efforts to ensure that all library users will continue to have access to critical Internet resources via library and school computers!