Examines questions of Internet regulation by comparison with other forms of media and regulations applying to them. Discusses legal issues of free speech, content regulation, intellectual property rights, and commercial law. Concludes that in law-enforcement terms, the Internet is different from mass media and cannot be regulated easily. (DSK)

The electronic environment is currently forcing educators at all levels to revisit issues concerning intellectual property. Quick availability of information and data through the Internet has changed the way the general public views information since it seems to be in endless supply from any computer on any individual desktop. This paper presents…

The International Federation for Information and Documentation (FID) is helping to establish an alliance of nongovernmental organizations representing librarians, archivists, information scientists, and the publishing and communications industries. Over 55 organizations are invited to sign a resolution (included in the article) that articulates a…

Observes that, while indecent materials constitute a small percent of the materials on the World Wide Web, they have received much attention because they are easy to search out or stumble upon. Discusses legal issues surrounding the Communications Decency Act and other pending legislation for regulating the Internet. (DSK)

The full impact of the current information technology and networking revolution remains unknown, but the experiences of organizations and individuals who are using the tools and resources offered by information technology suggest that it may change our social fabric. Some of the current and emerging trends in information technology include: the…

Discusses policy principles that information provider companies agree upon, including the public's right of access to information; equality of access; diverse information sources; monopoly control of public information; fees for access; and public participation in decisions about access. Funding for the depository library system and new federal…

Proposals for shaping the National Information Infrastructure (NII) lack sufficient provision for supporting locally controlled information delivery systems, which could serve all the people, regardless of class or community environment. A system of federally sponsored National and Regional Institutes for Information Democracy could help meet this…

Reviews problems with using blocking software to regulate children's access to areas of the Internet deemed inappropriate. Discusses how blocking software functions, and provides examples of types of consequences that can result. Points out an upcoming court case on the use of blocking software by public libraries and schools. (DSK)

Supports the use of filtering software by parents, schools, and libraries as a least restrictive alternative to criminal prosecution to restrict the availability of pornographic materials on the Internet. Argues that filtering programs work well and do not make most of the mistakes attributed to them by detractors. (DSK)

Based on the fact that the individual human mind is limited, conceptual frameworks and innovative systems in support of social interaction are a necessity rather than a luxury for the future information society. Conceptual frameworks need to be grounded in distributed cognition. Because "a group has no head," collaboratively constructed…

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities facing libraries as they evolve into the electronic networked environment, and looks at options for libraries in the year 2000 and beyond. The internationally networked environment has fundamentally changed the way in which people acquire and use information resources and services. The paper…