PICS: Platform for Internet Content Selection

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PICS Platform for Internet Content Selection

• Dr. James Miller
• MIT Laboratory for Computer Science

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PICS
s
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Framing The Question

• The Technology Itself
• U.S. Domestic Use of the Technology
• International Use of the Technology

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The Technology Itself

• ...Since the Web is global, its technology must
  support a wide range of policy options that
  encourage all cultures to use the Web. The Web
  architecture must allow local policies to
  co-exist without cultural fragmentation or
  domination.
• Labels (metadata) are useful for many things
• Improving and automating search (library
  catalogs)
• Quality labels (virus checks, archivist,
  community)
• Child protection (content regulation)
• Privacy protection (data reuse policy)
• Intellectual property rights management

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U.S. Domestic Policy

• Educate parents about the new medium
• Parental involvement is essential
• Filtering is an aid, not a panacea
• Encourage many third-party labels
• Parents must choose
• Filter when parents cant be there
• Public schools, especially grades 6 - 9
• Children in libraries and public spaces
• Parental choice or community choice or ?

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International Policy

• Oppose mandatory labeling, encourage objective
  rating
• Objective rating systems are possible
• Self-rating vs. third-party rating is irrelevant
• More effective as a public service than as a
  self-supporting business
• Establish objective labeling as a safe haven