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we at safelibraries.org have been, for almost seven years, encouraging the public to become educated about the american library association's efforts to sexualize children in public libraries and public school libraries. we think citizens need to act on that knowledge to return control of local institutions to the taxpayers so community children will no longer be at risk of the ala's agenda. it is quite possible the ala's agenda results in serious harm to children . we think people should follow the us supreme court's guidance in us v. ala to protect children from inappropriate material, and not blindly follow the ala's agenda to sexualize them by being taken in by the ala's propaganda and intentional misinformation. the ala should no longer be considered authoritative on any issues pertaining to children.
in performance of our educational process, we have been asked a number of questions of special importance. therefore, we have created this page to respond as broadly as possible. just understand we are only trying our best to help by steering people to leading organizations. and for general information on internet safety issues, see lmirl .
software
to protect children in cyberspace
besides recommending our own guide to protecting children in cyberspace, lmirl , we are happy to recommend an excellent service parents can use to protect their children--one that comes from an impeccable source.
we recommend at&t smart limits . it offers a full panoply of options with more to come. here's what you can do: shield children from inappropriate web sites; manage tv viewing; control cell phone purchases and web access; protect children from unwanted callers. go to www.att.com/smartlimits/ to learn more. en espanol: controles parentales para la tecnologia de hoy .
also,
we recommend the
outstanding mac os x parental controls
in apple computers.
yes, we are aware of windows vista's parental controls , but they are an also-ran compared to a mac. get a mac and you'll thank us forever for this recommendation .
we found this excellent article in smartmoney magazine: deal of the day: new technology to keep track of your kids , by kelli b. grant, smartmoney , 16 mar 2007. here is a sample, go read the whole article:
as a parent, you trust your child, right? you're sure that, when not under your watchful eye, your child would never do anything that could possibly be dangerous, like drive too fast or trade instant messages with some creepy internet pervert, right? um, right?
if you aren't so sure, new technology allows parents to keep a closer eye on their kids, whether it's in the car, online or on foot. this monitoring technology can offer some protection in situations as varied as cyber-bullying (computer software saves every instant message) to a flat tire (car recorders monitor location, and how long the vehicle has been in one place).
whether you see this as a gross invasion of privacy (as your child surely will) or simply another tool to keep your kids safe is your call. but if you decide that your kids could benefit from your watchful eye--even when you aren't around--this technology can help make it happen:
- cellphone gps tracking
- monitoring the computer
- behind the wheel
we
are currently evaluating the snoop stick, and it is looking good so far.
while we are doing this, please see
snoopstick.com
for further information. it looks really sweet and got good reviews.
and do not
forget
check
point software zonealarm internet security suite
. according
to pcworld, "
parental controls block sites included on check point
blacklists along with unknown sites identified via effective dynamic analysis
."
safelibraries.org has been asked for help with several emergent cyber situations. in those situations we refer people to law enforcement and to other experts. here is an encapsulation of our advice:
the congressionally mandated cybertipline is a reporting mechanism for cases of child sexual exploitation including child pornography, online enticement of children for sex acts, molestation of children outside the family, sex tourism of children, child victims of prostitution, and unsolicited obscene material sent to a child. reports may be made 24-hours per day, 7 days per week online at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678 .
our cyber911 help tipline is not intended to replace law enforcement emergency 911, 999 and other numbers worldwide. it is to help people know where to get help when they are being victimized online, and to provide help when help is needed. we work closely with law enforcement around the world, and require that when offline threats are involved that local law enforcement be notified before we can offer assistance to the victim or their local law enforcement.
obscenitycrimes.org was created primarily for citizens who have been unintentionally exposed to pornography or ads for pornography on the internet or whose children have been exposed to pornography or ads for pornography on the internet. the complaint form is not a government document and does not accuse anyone of a crime. it requests that a website be investigated and that a criminal obscenity prosecution or other legal proceeding be initiated if warranted. the information you provide will normally be forwarded to federal prosecutors unless your complaint does not contain adequate information.
to
report on online child abuse images hosted anywhere in the world,
or criminally obscene content and incitement to racial hatred content
hosted in the united kingdom
, see the
internet watch foundation
at
www.iwf.org.uk/reporting.htm
.
be sure to bring a cell phone to your library because if the librarians refuse to call for help, you'll be able to reach the police immediately on your own phone. who knows, perhaps taking cell phone pictures/videos of crimes in progress in public libraries may help stop the hiding of such crimes from public view.
to report libraries potentially wrongfully claiming cipa compliance, use the " whistleblower hotline " or call 1-888-203-8100 . you may also contact the universal service administrative company's (usac) schools and libraries division (sld) at www.sl.universalservice.org . sld also operates a client service bureau to answer questions at 1-888-203-8100 or via e-mail through the sld web site.
