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Nevada Library Association |
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The Internet and Intellectual Freedom"A person's right to use a library should not be denied or
abridged because of origin, age, background, or views" "We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all
efforts to censor library resources." "If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment,
it is that Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply
because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable." " Indeed, perhaps we do the minors of this country harm if First
Amendment protections, which they will with age inherit fully, are
chipped away in the name of their protection." "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression;
this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to
seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and
regardless of frontiers" From the Intellectual Freedom Manual (ALA, 7th edition): “Intellectual freedom can exist only where two essential conditions are met: first, that all individuals have the right to hold any belief on any subject and to convey their ideas in any form they deem appropriate; and second, that society makes an equal commitment to the right of unrestricted access to information and ideas regardless of the communication medium used, the content of the work, and the viewpoints of both the author and receiver of information. Freedom to express oneself through a chosen mode of communication, including the Internet, becomes virtually meaningless if access to that information is not protected. Intellectual freedom implies a circle, and that circle is broken if either freedom of expression or access to ideas is stifled.” Freedom to Read Foundation Documents on the Internet and Intellectual Freedom Supreme Court Decision on the Internet In a landmark 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court struck down the Communications Decency Act (CDA) on June 26, 1997. In its sweeping affirmation of First Amendment principles, the Court held that communications over the Internet deserve the highest level of constitutional protection. The text of the Court's CDA decision can be found at the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition site. Other Court Decisions/Opinions on the Internet Pending Legislation |
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Updated August 09, 2001
