The best way to censor online porn

Proper adult guidance, rather than installing a blocking software in the computer, is a better way to prevent children’s access to online pornography, according to a Public School System’s computer expert.

Mike Murphy said installing a blocking software in the computer is not at all effective in filtering pornographic materials.

“That’s censorship. Censorship is censorship,” said Murphy, a computer teacher at Marianas High School, and formerly the computer programmer at PSS central office.

Murphy said the filtering software doesn’t guarantee a complete cleanup of pornography sites.

Instead, he added, this software may only block the students’ access to informative research materials.

“If you put in the key word ‘sex,’ you could only block out half of the pornography materials and you block out most of the high school biology,” Murphy said.

“Some of the better blockers use codes from the sites themselves, but that means [the Internet users] have to actively participate in the blocking program or the stuff will come through,” he added.

PSS earlier announced a plan to install the blocking software in public school computers in preparation for the possible enactment of The Safe Schools Internet legislation pending in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This legislation provides that education agencies and public schools that accept Universal Service (E-rate) subsidy from the Federal Communication Commission are mandated to install blocking software in their computers to prevent students from reaching sites that contain materials “deemed to be inappropriate for minors.”

Murphy said the MHS computer laboratory is already implementing an “acceptable use policy” for students using the Internet.

“It’s very simple: It’s one strike and you’re out,” Murphy said.

Under this policy, any student found on prohibited sites would be banned from using the Internet computers for the rest of the year.

“It’s very simple and it doesn’t cost anything,” said Murphy.

Meanwhile, the MHS’ computer lab has acquired 25 new computers with 17-inch monitors all hooked up on the Internet.

Murphy said the lab will be used by students attending MHS’ Computer Literacy classes.

The laboratory provided yesterday a venue for delegates to the 16th Annual Pacific Educational Conference who registered for the pre-conference institute that tackled teaching and learning enhancement though telecommunication. (MCM)