Election, internet, blocking and our rights - just want your opinions.

Dick_Van_Dyke

I completely disagree on two points

Firstly duty of care. The library has a duty of care to ensure firstly that people dont access stuff they shouldnt otherwise and to ensure no illegal activity occurrs. Allowing access to facebook, youtube etc and similar sites would risk that.

Secondly - It isnt what libraries are there for. If you want to access this information use your home or pay facilities.

drsquirrel

No.

The library doesn't have to supply you internet access...

They (politicians) are going online to cover other mediums to reach out to as many people as possible? Do you have a TV? Radio? Read the paper? Online news sites? etc etc

You don't have a right to see every place they decide to big themselves up...

Darksun

jdturk wrote: »

You have got to be kidding me, have you not better things to do with your time than hassle a library for their internet restrictions?

Librarys are for knowledge, not for watching videos or looking at facebook

Videos are part of a collective body of knowledge, and to some extent facebook is as well. My local library holds public records to help with genealogy and tracing people, and I know facebook has been used for similar purposes. People need to realise that libraries can and thankfully are adapting to the 21st century.

Anyway, with regards to the OPs query, there may be technical reasons for blocking video sites - the library will only have limited bandwidth, which may have to be shared between a lot of users. If a few people are streaming video it may slow down everyone else.

In terms of rights, it may be tricky to argue that the content that the parties and the government on YT/social networking sites is essential, since most of it is provided in more conventional forms as well.

Potentially you could take action under the Human Rights Act, but realistically I don't think you'd have much chance. It's probably worth asking about their filtering policies, using the Freedom of Information Act if necessary, and then deciding where to go from there. Visit http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/ for more information about making a FOI request.

DCFC79

Widelats wrote: »

That is a point yes, but when kids are in school .... would be nice to listen to music too for a change.

thats if they actually do got to school

back to the question can you not access youtube, facebook form home

rl290

Is this a joke!? Anyone who wants to know about politics can access all the data they need on the parties' own websites, as well as access news and other media sites. This is fair and allows political education without opening the floodgates to abuse (as allowing facebook and twitter might).

No one has a "right" to go on facebook, and it is no where near the front line in promoting policies. Most parties advertise their local events etc on their local and national websites, so there is no need to have to access facebook.

Seriously - explain why you think facebook is so important to gain information about politics?!

R

Fire_Fox

Widelats wrote: »

I realise i might et a trooling reply here, but i am being serious, i need some opinions before i go ahead and start complaining on the publics behalf.

Thanks.

Mary Whitehouse complained "on the public's behalf" to bring in censorship, now you want to undo her life's work? :rotfl:

RobertoMoir

Widelats wrote: »

Since all 3 party leaders are going online to youtube and facebook, everyone should have a right to access these sites?

In my local library, they block youtube permanently, and facebook applications do not work at all, also facebook itself is blocked on a near weekly basis, resulting in their tech guys taking days to sort it out, point is, this campaigning will not include people who use public libraries in my area of South Tyneside, and its a freakin' big area!

Do you reckon i have a right to ask the library manager to change the web filter (It is called websense) to a more user friendly filter that does not block facebook and ask them to change their policy on youtube to get it unblocked?

I realise i might et a trooling reply here, but i am being serious, i need some opinions before i go ahead and start complaining on the publics behalf.

Thanks.

I'm sure you have a "right" to ask for whatever you want. They have an equal "right" to reject any requests that are unreasonable.

Nothing wrong with websense, it blocks what it is told to block - if it's blocking youtube and facebook then that is because they don't want people using youtube and facebook. I have to say I agree with them - what benefit does having access to either of those in a library bring to the general public?

mqandy

As your in the library, you might be better off asking for a copy of the three parties manifestos.

You'll also have access to several titles of newspaper, from all political persuasions.

The library is not short of the information you need.

Widelats

RobertoMoir wrote: »

I'm sure you have a "right" to ask for whatever you want. They have an equal "right" to reject any requests that are unreasonable.

Nothing wrong with websense, it blocks what it is told to block - if it's blocking youtube and facebook then that is because they don't want people using youtube and facebook. I have to say I agree with them - what benefit does having access to either of those in a library bring to the general public?

Well to those who did not read my post

1. Politics will be a excuse to change policies, i don't even vote.

Robert, websense blocks facebook and .gov.uk sites on a regular basis, library does allow these sites but websense is too aggressive and they keep having to phone the tech guys to unblock it, which takes them up to a week sometimes.

I see what a load of useless time asking questions here is, except for Roberts and The what do they know link. Thanks for all being scaredy cats and accepting whatever the council and govornment throws at you.

Widelats

Darksun wrote: »

Videos are part of a collective body of knowledge, and to some extent facebook is as well. My local library holds public records to help with genealogy and tracing people, and I know facebook has been used for similar purposes. People need to realise that libraries can and thankfully are adapting to the 21st century.

Anyway, with regards to the OPs query, there may be technical reasons for blocking video sites - the library will only have limited bandwidth, which may have to be shared between a lot of users. If a few people are streaming video it may slow down everyone else.

In terms of rights, it may be tricky to argue that the content that the parties and the government on YT/social networking sites is essential, since most of it is provided in more conventional forms as well.

Potentially you could take action under the Human Rights Act, but realistically I don't think you'd have much chance. It's probably worth asking about their filtering policies, using the Freedom of Information Act if necessary, and then deciding where to go from there. Visit http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/ for more information about making a FOI request.

Thanks i will try this.