educationliberal

School Web Filters: Helpful or Hindering?

Northern California, USASaturday, January 18, 2025

Imagine trying to learn Spanish with a teacher, only to find that the links he gives you are all blocked. That's what happened to Aleeza Siddique, a 15-year-old from Northern California. Her school's internet filter turned their lesson into a vocabulary drill. A new study by the Center for Democracy & Technology found that 70% of teachers and students say web filters often get in the way of assignments. Schools use these filters to follow a law that keeps kids from seeing inappropriate content online.

But some filters block more than they should, like websites about LGBTQ+ issues or sex education. Elizabeth Laird from the center says the filters are "subjective and unchecked. " Aleeza thinks her school should be more open about what it blocks and why. After all, shouldn't students know what they're being "protected" from?

democracy technology northern california elizabeth laird lesson

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