Published: May 26, 1998
Last Updated: May 20, 1999
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ASNE on the move

In a letter sent to the Senate Commerce Committee, President Rowe said ASNE opposes legislation that would tie federal funding for schools and libraries to the use of Internet access filters to block access to filter or block matter deemed to be inappropriate for minors.

"Such a condition restricts a major use of the Internet by students and library users and defeats the purpose of newspapers publishing their news on the Web," the ASNE president wrote.

"Technology is improving on a daily basis," she noted. "Perhaps five years from now filtering software will be capable of blocking indecent material while allowing full access to research tools such as online news services. The current legislation, while well-intentioned, harms the ability of citizens, young and old, to fully benefit from Internet access. The promise of the Internet is too great to be hamstrung by legislation that is best left for another day."