In his speech “Sex, Censorship, and the Internet,” New York University scholar Roger K. Newman says that society has a greater fear than sexually explicit material on the Internet.

“Censorship and fear in thought is more dangerous than anything that can be found on the Internet,” said Newman, who was formerly a professor of constitutional law at NYU.

Approximately 50 people came to Tegeler Halls Carlo Auditorium last night to hear Newmans critique of those whom he called “bluenoses” the censors.

“The strongest human urge is not sex, it is censorship,” Newman said. “Censorship is part of the Puritan heritage of America that has never been cast off.”

Newmans intent is not to allow children to view pornography, he said. The problem is that current Internet filters are inadequate tools for proper use.

“The Internet filters put restrictions on material constitutionally protected for adults,” Newman said.

Newman cited numerous cases in which Internet filters performed inadequately. For example, the website for the Vatican was blocked by one filter because the word “eros” was found in its Internet address. Another filter blocked sites concerning the Titanic because of the initial letters of the subject.

He claims that filtering programs such as Net Nanny “combine motherhood and apple pie into a package,” an image that is improper to the reality of their function.

“They are merely mechanical tools wrapped around subjective judgment,” Newman said.

The inadequate existing technologies cannot provide the answer to proper censorship; for now, censorship must remain in the hands of parents, he said. Newman also proposed Internet ethics courses as a partial solution.

Jamar Scott, a former high school network manager, said, “Censorship is very necessary. Students will always access sites that are prohibited. The filters are effective in establishing expectations.”

Porya Ford, senior, countered Newman. “The problem is not the censorship, it is the sex that people are worried about. People shield what they worry about and attack the wrong things.”

Erica Westhoff, a junior at SLU, responded, “It is a hard question to answer because freedom of speech stands at the cornerstone of American freedom. I know that one day I will have children, but I think it is a parenting issue and not a government issue.”

Or, as Newman says, “Technology may drive the future, but the steering is up to us.”