March 18, 2005
Filter Effectiveness - Who Cares?
Is it just me or does it seem like the whole library world kind of rolled over on the filtering issue? Seems like filtering of children's computers, and sometimes all public access computers, has become just a normal part of operations. How did that happen so fast?
I know some states have passed, or threatened to pass, CIPAesque laws. Kansas and Washington spring immediately to mind. But shouldn't we still be talking about the problems with filters? I mean, they don't work a whole lot better than they did a year ago yet no one is complaining anymore.
The half-full interpretation of this phenomenon is that everyone is finally paying attention to the importance of closely monitoring the work of their filter -- making sure it is blocking only what they mean for it to block and allowing everything else through. It could mean that people are spending time to tweak and tune their filters to conform to their Internet Use Policy and that the public is aware that filtering is in place and understands and accepts the Internet Use Policy.
The half-empty interpretation is that the whole filtering thing was too much trouble to fuss about. Since patrons don't seem to complain about filters (even when they block the wrong sites), why spend a lot of time worrying about it. I hope that's not the case but fear it is.
I guess I should take heart from the fact that the legislators in Kansas are not just demanding filters; they are demanding filters that are 80% effective. I'm intrigued by this idea. I have tested "filter effectiveness" and in fact I offered to do it for the folks in Kansas. I think its a great idea and its a way to ensure that my half-full interpretation of where we are with filters is the right one. But how do you do it?
Filter effectiveness has to be tested against your Internet Policy. To test, you have to identify sites that SHOULD be blocked and sites that SHOULD NOT be blocked based on your policy. This may sound easy but it isn't. Ideally you find sites that are obvious but its also important to find sites that can easily confuse filters. So you have to understand how they work. And it isn't as simple as turning on the "BLOCK CIPA SITES" category since there is no such thing. Filter configuration is work, its trial and error.
How effective is your Internet filter? And more importantly, do you care?
Posted by Lori at 11:01 AM | Permalink