| Who owns a web page? | ||
 HE SAYS:
Author
I disagree with Sally
about the role of the Internet Service
Provider. I believe that the ISP is acting
more like a book store owner rather than a
publisher. In this case, a book store owner helps
disseminate lots of various materials. However, in most
cases, the book store owner has never actually read all
of the material and is unaware of the actual contents.
They don't really own the page, they are just a middle
man or distributor of its contents. What implications does this present for allowing students to publish web pages? I think that schools need
to be careful when trying to control the content on their
web servers. The supression of students' ideas is
the supression of free speech. Schools need to work
closely with students to assure that their work is
legal. However, schools do not have the right to
tell students how to think or what to post on their web
page. Additional Resources What part of "no law"
don't you understand? A primer on the First Amendment and
its interpretation for the digital age, by constitutional
scholar and attorney William Bennett Turner. The Constitution in Cyberspace
This source looks
at the five basic assumptions of the Constitution
and how they can be applied to the Internet.
Should my university allow
students to post to Netnews or have Web pages? A short question and
answer essay dealing with how universities and their
student web page policies. Provides insight into how
network access can play an important role in meeting a
univerisity's mission. Freedom of speech vs.
protection A short personal essay on roles and responsibilites of both authors and ISPs. Authors have the largest role in being responsible for the content. ISPs are not accountable for the content itself, but may be responsible for how it is presented. A follow-up to the Blumenthal posting listed on the right. |
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SHE SAYS:
Internet
Service Provider (ISP) Althought the initial
World Wide Web was more like traditional print with lots
and lots of text, it is quickly becoming more and more
like radio and television. The Supreme Court has
already said that "differences in the
characteristics of new media justify differences in the
First Amendment standards applied to them."
That's why television and radio both have certain
restrictions placed on them by the FCC. It is
obvious that the Internet is coverging the aspects of
print, television, and radio all into one medium.
As the Internet moves closer to the look and feel of
television and radio, it will deserve the same
restrictions. What implications does this present for allowing students to publish web pages? Schools should be aware
that they are seen as the publisher of all of the
services and information that their web server provides.
This also entitles schools to control what is
placed on their server. Schools need to understand
that their students' work will affect how the public
views their school. Additional Resources Dangers of Students Publishing
on the WEB Provides reasons why
student work should and should not be published on the
web. Freedom of speech vs.
protection A short personal essay about the roles and responsibilites of ISPs. An ISP's role in the Internet is similiar to that of a radio station. They have the responsiblity to control how, when, and by whom the information is presented. |