ARE WEB FILTERS TOO RESTRICTIVE?

PUNISHMENT

• A reason why some would believe that they a form of punishment is because, if a popular website is blocked, it typically ends up punishing the majority, because now a website they used is blocked, even if most of them abided by the rules of the school.

HINDERS WORK

• There times when web filters can block useful websites that contain information needed for a paper, or assignment that a student needs, purely because of content that the filter could mark as "sensitive content".

CENSORSHIP

• At their worst, web filters can be a form of censorship, if the administrators running the school or library hold a certain viewpoint, they can, if they wanted to, use these filters to block out certain viewpoints if they disagree, which is sadly very common.

COUNTERCLAIMS

• Some argue that using it as a punishment can be a form of effective discipline.
• Filters can block untrustworthy sources
• The censorship can arguably be a good thing, to block out subjects not appropriate for a school environment.

THE END