School Internet Filtering

There is no doubt that almost everyone in a modern day educators position will in some way, shape or fashion, utilize the internet as a part of their class plan. However, due to CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act) restrictions, many questionable sites are blocked, and rightly so; but also some not as questionable sites continue to fall into the blocked-out category. The debate continues as to what is and what isn't to be part of this internet block. The typical pornography related sites are obvious, as well as anything promoting or depicting mature matters of other natures as well as the typical social media sites; but where do you draw the line?


Some teachers have found that even some legitimate educational sites have fallen into the "blocked" category by their schools. As someone in the IT department myself, I would assume the blocking software, like most, is fairly simple to add site exceptions into, in order to open up illegitimately blocked sites, so a work around to that issue is probably more easily solved. But how should sites like YouTube be handled?


YouTube is one of the largest video sites out there, but since it is pretty much open to allow the public the ability to post almost anything and everything they want on it, YouTube contains material of both an educational nature, as well as all kinds of “trash.” Typically the schools block this site, but now, with the introduction of YouTube EDU, an educational branch of the popular video network, the whole matter must be re-examined.





Even with all of these built in safeguards, many school filters are still blocking this site, and the debate continues as to what should and should not be blocked on school computers. Elliot Soloway, the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan, says:

What do you think? Should schools loosen the tight grip on internet filtering, and instead increase instruction on internet ethics, teaching students the good, the bad, and the ugly about the internet; or should the filters remain tight for fear of revealing too much too soon to kids?


Jeff McCormack resides in Virginia Beach, VA. where he works as a web designer by day. In his off time he is a husband, father, mail order book store manager, and musician. Aside from being a freelance writer for this Education Jobsite blog, he also seeks to assist in career choices and information by contributing to other Nexxt blog sites.