What do parents and kids think?

Many critics of filtering software state that it deprives students of the opportunity to learn and develop the skills necessary to navigate and become Internet savvy responsible adults. They argue that the notion of "netiquette" and "netizenship" is never taught. Their belief is that the blocking of websites does not give children the chance to exercise the sound judgement needed when surfing the Web. It is all done for them.

Many parents and kids do not feel this way, however. Consider the following findings:

• More than 50% employ the use of filters in their own homes according to research conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.
• The study further states that many parents are more watchful of their child's internet use; and do not feel that their children are as careful as they should be when surfing the net.
• The Pew Survey also revealed that approximately 10% of children avoided use of the internet because they did not feel safe online or had a bad online experience.

• A recent study by Common Sense Media, a non-partisan, non-profit media watchdog group, revealed that while 77% of parents recognize the Web as a useful learning tool, 85% feel that it is more dangerous than television, and 70% feel that it exposes there children to values that contradict there own. They also believed that it exposed their children to certain ideas prematurely.

• Two-thirds of young Americans between the age of 15-24 supported the premise of CIPA according to a sample survey sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

So....in our vigilance to protect our children, are we infringing upon their First Amendment rights? Should children possess the same First Amendment rights that adults do?