Banned Books Week
It's Banned Books Week. Though I search in vain among the PR for much consideration of the banning of websites, which seems to me to be so relevant after the library censorware law went into effect.
The ACLU's Banned Books Week page actually makes a mention of censorware, among all the Patriot Act references (emphasis added):
Libraries are at the center of the struggle to preserve everyone's freedom to access a diversity of ideas, information and opinions. Banned Books Week, from Sept. 25 to Oct. 2, calls attention to the wealth of creative expression that is stifled when libraries are forced to remove some books from their shelves.
When a Web site is blocked on a library computer or a book is taken off the library shelves, it is easy to see how your freedom to access information is being compromised. But other threats to our freedoms in the library can occur in secret. When you check out a book and visit a Web site, do you know if somebody else is watching?
I've long had the idea for Banned Websites Week. But that project was another casualty of my having quit censorware decryption, and soured on activism in general. I actually got a nibble about it a few months ago, and declined. I just didn't want to go through another project where I likely wouldn't get much reputation-credit, wouldn't reach people, but had several possible ways to lose. Maybe it doesn't matter. All I can do is note that here's another effort which would have been done if I hadn't been ground-down and driven-out, and I've outright given up on it due to the lack of support, draining attacks, and marginalization (regrets, remember, I gave notice of upcoming gloomy postings).
By Seth Finkelstein | posted in censorware | on September 28, 2004 11:56 PM (Infothought permalink) | Followups
