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Internet filters block online health information

A recent study shows that internet filters used to stop children from viewing pornography on the net also often blocks their access to health information on the internet. Websites having information on potentially sensitive health topics like sexually transmitted diseases, contraception and abortion are most vulnerable to inadvertent blocking by the filters.

Internet filters block online health information

A recent study shows that internet filters used to stop children from viewing pornography on the net also often blocks their access to health information on the internet. Websites having information on potentially sensitive health topics like sexually transmitted diseases, contraception and abortion are most vulnerable to inadvertent blocking by the filters. The internet has become an important tool for finding health information, especially among adolescents. Many computers have software designed to filter or block access to internet pornography. Since the filters cannot perfectly discriminate between pornographic and non-pornographic websites, these end up blocking access to health websites especially those related to sexuality. In the study done in the US, researchers entered 24 common health-oriented search terms in six popular Internet search engines, including Yahoo and Google. Topics included safe sex and gay and lesbian issues. Results of the searches were then passed through computers equipped with six leading Internet blocking programs set to varying levels of filtering. Overall, popular filters blocked 1.4% to 24% of health-oriented Web sites, depending on the level of filtering strictness selected for the programs. Pornographic sites, the intended targets of the filters, were blocked around 90% of the time. Filters set to avoid only pornography, blocked access to an average 1.4% of all health-oriented Web pages tested. An average of 5% of health sites were blocked using intermediate settings, which are more strict but are supposed to allow exceptions for sex education or medically oriented sites. Programs used at the strictest setting screened out 24% of all health sites. Meanwhile, least restrictive, intermediate and most restrictive settings blocked access to porn sites an average of 87%, 90%, and 91% of the time, respectively.

The Journal of the American Medical Association, December 2002
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