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Officials: Watching Porn At NYC Libraries Falls Within First Amendment Rights

But Don't Tell That To Many Of The Patrons Trying To Read

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(credit: AP)

(credit: AP)

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — It’s the last thing you’d expect to find at New York City’s public libraries. But find it you will.

Pornography.

CBS 2’s Scott Rapoport has more on the A-B-Cs behind the XXX at the library.

“It’s a little shocking,” one public library patron said.

“Wow. I didn’t know that. I had no idea,” added another.

Yep, electronic porn too graphic for CBS 2 to show on television is available on-line for adults — on publically used computers at the city’s 200 library branches.

All people have to do is search for it.

“I probably wouldn’t feel comfortable if someone was watching on the computer next to me,” patron April Cantor told Rapoport.

Richard Reyes-Gavilan of the Brooklyn Public Library said that’s the policy — that even pornography is protected by the first amendment and recognized as free speech.

“With adults, anything that you can get on the Internet, you can legally get on a computer in the library,” Reyes-Gavilan said. “It’s difficult, but we err on the side of free and open access.”

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, said he is appalled and outraged that such content is found in a publically funded place.

“What this is doing is perverting the whole meaning of freedom of speech and education,” Donohue said. “There is no legitimate role for hardcore pornography to be shown in the New York Public Library.”

Public Library officials said by law they are obligated to install filters to block illegal content like child pornography. And they said they do, but not other pornography that is legal.

And that left some folks Rapoport spoke to a little upset.

“I think it’s horrific as a parent. There are children in this place constantly. It’s a place of learning. You shouldn’t be allowed to do that in here,” library patron Malcolm Adams said.

Officials from the New York Public Library stressed their computers all have filtering software to block any explicit material from minors, and they said that staff carefully monitor use of computers in the adult areas.

What would you do if you saw someone watching hardcore pornography at the library? Sound off in our comments section.


View Comments
  • Michael

    Who doesn’t love the idea of typing on a semen-encrusted keyboard?

    • Satish Smith

      Yeah, maybe the library would be better off with an adult-section rife with lad-mags.

    • Steve

      LOL

  • concerned

    Well it’s nice to know that our first amendment rights are being protected. Certain stations should be configured to all full access to all sites and placed in a certain location, this way if someone wants to watch porn they can, but only in an area that “stands” out and may deter people from using them for anything deviant.

    • kikii

      Hardcore pornography is NOT covered by the First Amendment.
      To equate the free and robust exchange of ideas and political debate with commercial exploitation of obscene material demeans the grand conception of the First Amendment and its high purposes in the historic struggle for freedom. It is a misuse of the great guarantees of free speech and free press .”~ Chief Justice Warren Burger

  • Jp Vanderveen

    Who cares what other look at .

  • Troika37

    So New York can tell someone how much salt is allowed for them to consume, but watching porn in a public library is ok?

    I am constantly amazed at the ability liberals have to conflate ‘legally protected’ rights and ‘publicly supported’ obligations.

    • Kiki

      Great comment, Troika!!

      • Steve

        Excellent Troika37

  • badman

    I’m all for freedom of expression etc, but it’s counterproductive to allow open viewing of hardcore porn in a public place, It’s possible that there may be people who need to watch it for legit research (I know, seems like a rationalization, but it could happen); if so, then these people could request a waiver of the content block, and be set up in a private room.

  • jerseyjoey

    Are these Librarys public funded by tax dollars, if so then you the tax payer demand this ended or you can be a liberal about it and say its freedom of speach and also is art. Your choice,, lemming or fight Sam Kinnison had the idea right. 50 cents -one once done.

  • Pete

    Next their restrooms wll become cruisin places for turned on patrons.
    I’ve had people stare at my wee-wee many times at public restrooms,
    porn at PUBLIC libraries, bad idea.

    • John

      Your wee wee? What, are you three?

  • Wolf

    Take notice of WHO uses the computers at libraries to watch or search for porn of any kind. Or even just spending their fifteen minutes playing games. HOMELESS. And this is WHY they WILL REMAIN HOMELESS. Because they don’t use their time wisely to get a REAL JOB so that they can EARN money. Send them all back to their own countries. Otherwise give them all mops brooms and shovels and let them earn their keep by cleaning

  • p

    Charity Search Engines

    • svdtvdgf

      lol

  • Stephanie H

    Isn’t it a privilege to have internet at the library?
    If they don’t have to provide access to web by law
    than why cant it be restricted…or removed?

    • Penny

      Exactly so . . . and demand the fight be taken against the ACLU and all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary.

      Aristotle noted that courage is the virtue that makes all others possible.

      I’m praying for courageous politicians to set the ship aright!

  • Stephanie H

    if we can make laws keeping certain things a far distance from chidren’s schools….why can’t we do the same here???? It is after all, an education center

  • Sorry Computers are Down

    Just monitor the computer after each use and see if the person who used the computer watched any porn. If they did, add the name a list. The list that says “next time this person comes in the library to use the computer just say the one’s available are not working, or say the computer is being worked on or any number of 1,000 excuses. Point is, abuse equals no use. These porn websites are out of control and really not good for anyone.

  • pugphan

    This is just sick kids walking by can see what peeps are watching. Where’s the
    common sense here? smokersodysseycom

  • Bell Toller

    amazing

  • raymond toyens

    i would smack the the taste out his fresh face!!!!!!i

  • Truth

    Hmm wait now if you do this at work it is sexual harrasment if a female co-worker sees it…. so what about female library staff is this not sexual harrasment? Should be interesting to see if such a case comes about due to this ruling.

  • james johnson

    if i see someone watching porn in the libary i will wait until they are finish and make sure they dont pick up any KIDS in my PRESENT and if they do I WILL KICK THEY ASS..!!!!!

    • Hal Mann

      You’d spend that time better learning how to write.

  • Marion Nigro

    Now does the library have tohire a new staff to make sure underage children aren’t on porn sites. You know this will happen.

  • Ed

    I applaud someone in this day and age actually upholding any freedom. And the freedom to watch, read, say whatever you want that is legal is one of our most fundamental freedoms. If you don’t like porn, don’t watch it and don’t watch other people watching it. These people who want to regulate other people’s lives should dress like the Pilgrim they are and buy a ticket on the return trip of the Mayflower.

    • Jesse Wallace

      This is a stupid, stupid argument. People can watch porn if they want to, but if a 13 year old isnt allow to walk into a porn shop because of age restriction, then someone shouldnt be able to watch age restricted material in a public place. It counteracts so many basic systems in place that its ridiculous.

    • Penny

      Gosh!

      Then fund the library with private dollars, not public taxes!

    • Kiki

      It ALWAYS surprises me the number of people who think hardcore pornography is legal!! It’s considered obscene–AND it’s not legal. NYC better check their own laws and not allow their PUBLIC library. Hardcore porn is illegal– we are at war against it– google the War Against Illegal Pornography!! Numbers are growing in this most progressive group!

  • TLD

    It’s not entirely true that anyone can switch off a safe filter. The NYC DOE computers are firewalled and blocked from certain content – they’re in public buildings, too. Makes no sense that the library tech administrators can’t do the same. What kind of people do you think are going to the public library, of all places, to watch porn? At least some of them have to be the kind that prefer to watch it in public places rather than in the privacy of their own homes. Very comforting.

  • Mary Smith

    Say… why is the keyboard all sticky? Oh…right.

  • Penny Miller

    The metaphor of our times: Defining deviancy down through the elction of cowardly, stupid politicians.

    Shame on NYC library boards for not defying the politicians and not blocking the porn!

  • J.Heath

    I would masterbate all over Mayor Bloombergs Office.

    • HARLEM GOING H.A.M.

      YOU ARE A SICK PUPPY

    • StormsNYC

      How is a Constitutional issue the fault of Mayor Bloomberg? This is not a NYC specific problem, this problem exists in almost all public library systems. If you want to blame someone, blame the ACLU.

  • Bloomberg R Us

    We do have freedom of the press ,do we have freedom of viewing?
    In any event if I saw someone watching porn it would depend where
    there hands are placed while at the public library.

  • Steve

    Is jerking off in NYC Libraries OK too? Wow. No brains right?

    • Barbara McW

      Where are the adults here? When are the real grown-ups coming back? Allowing porn to be viewed at the NYC library is crazy and dangerous, ask yourself are any of the victims white middle aged men? Good God almighty stop the madness

      • Pubert Humpkins

        Babs,

        Great googly-moogly, does it matter what skin color? Is everything racial to you?

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