Based on the third-person effect hypothesis--people's belief that the media influences others more than it influences themselves--we administered a questionnaire to Chinese teens (N = 1,538) to discover the impacts of exposure to internet pornography on perceptions of pornography and attitudes toward censorship of pornography. The results…

Policymakers are considering initiatives to reduce potential harms of pornography, including educational and legislative approaches. In determining the appropriateness of policies, however, it is important to consider community attitudes. We conducted an online survey with a convenience sample of 1272 young people aged 15-29 in Australia,…

While freedom of speech is a defining characteristic of the United States, the First Amendment right is often regulated within certain environments. For years, schools have attempted to monitor and regulate student communication both within the educational environment and in student use of social media and other online communication tools.…

This paper explores some of the difficulties of doing research concerning young people's use of online sexually explicit materials in three high schools in South Africa. Against the backdrop of young people's sexual agency, we elaborate on the ways in which getting permission to conduct the research unsettled gatekeepers, as research on young…

The aim of this paper is to study university students' opinions toward online censorship with references to their socio-political and economic variables. Considering the upwards trend and the increasing number of online restrictions in Turkey, the opinions of university students (n=138) are thought to give significant findings. The questionnaire…

Many people fear that the current explosion in mass media technology is negatively affecting individuals and society via-a-vis considerations related to the accessibility of pornographic materials. The way this accessibility affects young people is of particular concern. In this article, the author addresses these concerns from the legal and…

Comments on the Meese Report on pornography and why the library community should pay attention to the actual text. Positive alternatives to censorship are suggested to counter the commercialization of sex, e.g., giving women more decisive roles in media production and strengthening alternative media. (EM)

This statement supports and endorses the Intellectual Freedom policies of the American Library Association (ALA) as exemplified by the ALA Bill of Rights. The case of Pico v. Island Trees Free School District provides a legal precedent in support of the idea that decisions to remove materials from the school library cannot be based on personal…

Provides data from a study indicating that a majority of U.S. adults see others as more adversely affected by pornography than they themselves (consistent with third-person perception research). Finds that peoples' support for pornography restrictions parallels the discrepancy they perceive between effect on self and effect on others. (PA)

Discusses ethical issues related to the Internet based on two speeches given at the Online 95 conference. Topics include pornography; copyright; libel and slander; and censorship imposed on the Internet by the secret service in Israel. (LRW)

Incorrect access to Web site addresses and spam e-mails are continuing to make pornography rampant on the Internet at schools, homes and libraries. Collectively, parents, teachers and members of communities must become more aware of the risks and consequences of open access to the Internet, and the distinction between censorship and Internet…

A collection of 12 articles, this yearbook focuses on freedom of speech and censorship. The topics covered include (1) common law tort and contract erosion of the at will rule, (2) the Supreme Court and the First Amendment in 1983-1984, (3) a phenomenological analysis of the First Amendment and the issue of obscenity, (4) John Milton's attack on…

In May 1993, representatives of anti-censorship feminists convened at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York to overturn the myths that censorship is good for women, that women want censorship, and that those who support censorship speak for women. Participants at the convention discussed four major themes: the current panic over…

Summarizes the findings of the Meese Commission on Pornography, and reviews several publications that responded to these findings. Issues considered include civil liberties, Christian fundamentalism, feminism, and the public health. A full bibliography of sources is provided. (CLB)

Argues that there is no principled way to distinguish between the language used in the television program "Scared Straight" and that used by comedian George Carlin on radio station WBAI-FM, ruled indecent by the Supreme Court in "FCC v. Pacifica Foundation." (FL)