Ryan's+Web+Filter+Page

=**Why Web Filtering is Necessary for Schools**=

1. Lawsuits. This is probably the main reason a school would put a filter on the schools network. If one of the not so smart students goes home and tells his parents he was looking at pr0n at school someone would be getting angry phone calls and if the parents are mean and selfish they may even sue the school for their childs stupidity. With the filter up the school can just prove that people are unable to access those types of sites and be done with it.

2. Distractions. The internet is the biggest distraction at school. For example, as I am typing this I have facebook, woot and addictinggames open in different tabs with streaming radio from itunes and a multiplayer match of crysis minimized. Now since I love doing homework this isnt a problem for me but for many students they would be pwning n00bs in multiplayer flash unreal or talking to their friends through the social networking site of their choice. With the filter activated most of these distractions are impossible to access.



3. Security. As well as having the most distractions the internet is also crawling with nasty little leech like bugs that like to get in your data and suck it all up then go back home to share your personal information with its family. Putting a web filter on this is like keeping screens on your windows do no creepy crawlies can get in. Cleaning up after bugs can take ages if its even possible at all.

4. My Opinion. Apparently dosent matter but I do think we should have access to facebook and myspace as well as sites that have to do with games and "cults" as there really isnt that much that can happen on these sites that would be at all destructive to the learning environment. I do believe the web filter is helpful but currently it is doing more damage than good as research on anything but very common school topics is almost impossible.

Well there ya go :)