 |
| Photograph: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images
Information ethics touches almost
every part of the library profession. The wildfire of the internet caused many
changes in the way information is utilized. Knowing copyright law, protecting
intellectual property rights, awareness of the digital divide, and upholding
the privacy of its patrons has come to the forefront of a librarians duties.
Recent developments such as the Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA), Protect
Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), digital piracy legislation, and principles
like Net Neutrality are continuously shaping the professional information
ethics landscape. The ALA still stands as a major player in helping librarians
uphold American freedom of information and access.
The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)
was introduced to the House by Representative Lamar S. Smith on October 26,
2011. The act allows the United States government to enforce online copyright
violation and shut down the online sales of counterfeit goods like counterfeit medications.
Under the bill, court orders could block access to websites and prevent search
engines from linking to websites that violated copyright laws. The American
Library Association argued that the terms of SOPA had the potential to
incriminate libraries because under the bill, any unauthorized streaming of
copyrighted material would result in a maximum of five years in prison.
PIPA was introduced to the Senate
on May 12, 2011. This act is very similar to SOPA which gives the US government authority to remove websites or remove links to websites if there is suspicion of illegal
activity such as copyright infringement, selling of counterfeit goods, digital piracy,
etc. Opponents of the two bills
claimed that they violate Freedom of Speech, invade privacy, and give the US
government too much regulation of the internet. A Senate Floor vote was scheduled
for January 24, 2012 on PIPA and SOPA’s House vote was scheduled for February. On November 16, 2011, Reddit.com joined the
EFF and others in the observance of “National Censorship Day” to protest PIPA
and SOPA. (Loudon, 2014). Also in protest, Google and the English
Wikipedia along with many other websites and blogs shut down their sites for 24
hours from January 18th to January 19, 2012. The international
blackout was successful and said to be the “largest online protest in history”
(Loudon, 2014). On January 20th, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid delayed the vote
by saying in a statement, “In light of recent events, I have decided to
postpone Tuesday’s vote on the Protect IP Act,” (SOPA and PIPA Withdrawn After Massive Internet
Protest, 2012). SOPA’s
House vote was also postponed until more censuses can be reached regarding the
bill. While SOPA and PIPA legislation was unsuccessful in 2012, these bills are in a constant state of debate and revision. These acts and others like them, should be closely followed by librarians because of the impact this kind of legislation will have on their profession.
Net Neutrality is a principle that as been around since
2002 but is rapidly shaping information ethics and librarianship. This is a complicated
issue, but in its simplest form: “net neutrality prohibits Internet
service providers from speeding up, slowing down, or blocking Internet traffic
based on its source, ownership, or destination.” (White, 2014). If service
providers engage in competitive bit sales, then the person or entity with the most resources
will be able to afford the fastest internet access and service. That, along
with the creation of internet “slow lanes” and “fast lanes” will impede the
library’s ideology of equal access to information for everyone and the Library
Bill Of Rights that uphold the free
exchange of ideas and intellectual information.(White,2014).
Libraries are also affected by the absence of net
neutrality because librarians rely on accessing information and providing that
information to the public. Such information includes high resolution materials
and large digital collections that depend on a neutral internet climate to
access. Without net neutrality legislation, libraries who do not have the
resources to acquire “fast lane” internet will have a devastating future.
(White, 2014).
According to the American Library Association webpage on
net neutrality, “the American Library Association supports
Net Neutrality legislation that preserves the competitive online markets for
content and services. Bandwidth and access should be offered on equal terms to
all willing to pay.” (Network Neutrality, 2006). Net neutrality has the ability to change many ways that libraries provide service to its patrons and should be closely followed by librarians everywhere.
Resources:
Loudon,
M. (2014). “Research in the wild” in online communities: Reddit’s
resistance to
SOPA. First
Monday, (1396-0466) 19(2), 1.
This article discusses the political resistance to SOPA legislation and Congressional support of the bill. The article discusses the international debate of SOPA and similar acts such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), Anti–Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), and Trade–Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). The role Reddit played in the mass online protest is explained and examined.
"Network Neutrality", American Library Association,
September 29, 2006.
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/telecom/netneutrality (Accessed
October 12, 2014)
Document ID: af8d68cd-d92d-6aa4-c1a2-1c9b58fafaa8
This article is from the American Library Association's website. It explains what net neutrality is, why it is an issue, and what it means for American libraries now and in the future. It also provides the ALA's stance on net neutrality.
SOPA and PIPA withdrawn after massive Internet protest. (2012). Newsletter on Intellectual
Freedom,
61(2), 54-88.
This article explains the effect that the online opposition and protest had on SOPA and PIPA legislation. It points to key political figures in the Senate and House as well as major websites that participated in the internet protest. This article also highlights a few comments made by famous Hollywood opponents who spoke out against SOPA and PIPA.
White, S. (2014). Net Neutrality and Libraries: Conflicts of
Access. Serials Librarian, 67(2),
151-
157.
This article by Sara White examines net neutrality through the lenses of a librarian. The article first goes through the January 2014 court proceedings on a suit filed by Verizon against the FCC about the 2010 Open Internet Rules. The court ruled against the rules, which moves the country one step further away from net neutrality. White goes on to explain what net neutrality or lack there of means to libraries and the profession of librarianship.
I choose the resources above because they provide relevant information on the recent developments concerning professional information ethics. The offer a wide scope of information for the purpose of the assignment. The articles illustrate the current issues that face libraries today concerning information ethics which include net neutrality and ongoing debate and legislation with such acts as PIPA and SOPA. |
Recent Developments
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment