Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Students at Dartmouth (MA) High School find web-blocking software too restrictive

A recent survey of students at Dartmouth High School in southeastern Massachusetts showed that 89% had been stymied in their research by Fortiguard, the web-blocking software installed on the school's computers. In order to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) schools and libraries that wish to receive certain E-rate discounts on technology must block or filter certain types of websites considered to be harmful to minors. Students have been frustrated to find sites such as National Public Radio (NPR), and the BBC, among other legitimate news and organization sites, blocked by the software. Teachers can request that individual sites be unblocked, but the request can take 24 hours to fulfill.

See the full article in the Spectrum, Dartmouth High School's student newspaper.

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