[Foundation-l] Personal Image Filter results announced

[Kim Bruning]

On Sun, Sep 04, 2011 at 11:54:44PM +0100, Thomas Dalton wrote:
> >
> > Yes, exactly! You're smart! :-)
> >
> > Now, one definition of censorship is :
> > * Filtering on the basis of prejudicial labels.
> >
> > We're not actually allowed to censor, because censorship is evil.
> >
> > If we want to do this, we'll need to figure out a way to make an image
> filter
> > which does not use prejudicial labels.
> 
> Or we just reject that definition as obviously not applicable. If people are
> choosing for themselves whether to filter and, if so, what on then it
> clearly isn't censorship.

[citation needed]

I don't see why it isn't applicable. You have a censorship tool (your
prejudicial labelling scheme), and you are applying it for its intended
purpose (albeit mildly). 

I think that's pretty much sufficient to cross the line into actual
censorship. Even if you can't quite see how right now, AMA probably can
and has. (I can easily think of some scenarios myself, if you like. In
fact, I gave some tangential examples on this list today.)

But... even if we can't agree that *that* is actually across the line,
the same censorship tool can still be used by others for more sinister
purposes. High quality prejudicial categorization would most certainly
be a boon for 3rd party censors, in many many ways.

So the options you are advocating are either (arguably) actual
censorship, or (if we can't agree to that) the enabling of 3rd party
censorship. 

The board themselves in their decision are very careful not to cross
those lines. My one issue with the board is merely that I think it is
very hard _not_ to cross the line.

Of course, some people don't see the danger, and blithely cross
the line anyway. (Thus proving my point for me much better than anything
I could say myself O:-) )

sincerely,
	Kim Bruning

citation:
	http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/labelingrating.cfm


-- 
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
CENSORSHIP IS OPENNESS