Does the Denver Public Library filter social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and blogs?
No. Popular social networking sites, including MySpace, allow users to share photos and detailed profiles of their likes and dislikes. Other social network sites include Facebook, geared to college students, LinkedIn, aimed at professionals, and Xanga, a blog-based community site. In all, an estimated 300 sites make up the social network universe. The Denver Public Library does not filter these sites because they cannot be reliably reviewed by filtering software, and because blocking these sites completely would unnecessarily block vast amounts of inoffensive materials. The content of social networking sites has not been found to meet the Librarys criteria for filtering. Most site vendors have policies regarding appropriate use and display of content and most users abide by the policies. Parents are encouraged to explore the Internet with their children, supervise them, provide clear guidelines regarding what sites and activities are off-limits and teach their children safety rules for
