Whether or not to use content filters is a policy decision having very little to do with technology. It is important to raise this point because some districts leave this important policy question for their technology staffs to decide alone. Key district leaders should understand and support whatever content filter policy is adopted by the school.

If the decision to filter content is the school's policy, deciding which filter is most appropriate becomes more of a technology issue. Will the school pick a server and desktop-based system or a proxy server type system? Will the school use a key word search system or a system that filters based on the review of sites by human beings?

E-Rate & Filtering

Districts need to be aware of ways that they can protect their students from inappropriate content on the web. Federal law is stating that schools and libraries that receive e-rate funding must have an Internet filtering system in place by year five. What are the filters and what should districts be aware of when purchasing?

Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) In December of 2000 the Children's Internet Protection Act was signed into law as part of the Education Department's Appropriations bill (HR 4577). This federal law mandates that schools and libraries that receive funding from E-Rate Library Services and Technology or Title III for the purchase of computers using the Internet, must have filtering software.

The substantive Internet safety policy requirements outlined below (excluding the selection of a filtering technology) "shall apply on or after the date that is 120 days after the date of enactment." (April 14, 2001, although the deadline would likely be the following Monday, April 16, 2001.) These policies must be developed with input from at least one public meeting. However, there does not appear to be a penalty or certification requirement relating to this policy requirement before the E-Rate deadline.

This legislation requires schools and libraries to adopt and implement an "Internet Safety Policy" and an operation of a "technology protection measure" that "blocks or filters Internet access to visual depictions that :

• are obscene
• have child pornography
• are armful to minors
• have Internet content a local educational agency, elementary or secondary school, or library determines is "inappropriate for minors"
• endangers the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications (i.e. Instant Message services)
• encourages "hacking" and other unlawful activities by minors online;
• provides unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors

Selecting an Internet Filter