CSAM & Predators - El Paso, Texas - Young Boy Allegedly Views Porn At Library

By Monica Balderrama-KFOX News Reporter. 01/11/08 EL PASO, Texas - An El Paso man who allegedly saw a young boy viewing porn at a public library said he's more shocked at the library's policy on that issue. As KFOX reported, the library cannot stop people from using certain Web sites because of privacy laws. In this case, the child viewing porn had permission from his parents. When Junior Varela took his little brother and nephew to the library to research a science project, he never expected to catch another young boy viewing what he called a pornographic Web site. "There was a kid, 9 to 10 years old next to him, viewing porn. I didn't know if that's what he was looking at. So I looked at it again," said Varela. When he became sure of what he saw he approached a library clerk to let him know what was going on. But to his surprise, the library staff said the young boy was within his rights. "They can allow anyone who is in the computer to view whatever they want so that's why their parents fill out the paperwork so they can be aware that they are on the Internet," said Varela. We called library officials and they released this statement: "The current long-standing Library policy is to allow parents full responsibility for what their children access over the Internet. Before any minor can have access to the Internet, a parent must come into the Library, read and acknowledge to have read an Internet permission form, which specifically addresses potentially harmful material online, then sign the form." Junior said when he realized the library staff wasn't going to do anything about it, he and his brother and nephew left the building without finishing their project. He's not sure if he'll go back. "I don't want to bring him anymore, my little brother or my nephew. Until this gets straighten out or something gets done I'm going to have to find somewhere else to take them to use a computer," said Valera. As we've reported, the library is currently installing a new system that will give parents the option to allow only filtered Internet sessions for their children. The system is currently available at two locations, the main library downtown and the Richard Burgess Branch but will be implemented system-wide. Library officials say when the system is in place, all Internet sessions for minors will be filtered unless a parent says otherwise. Retrieved January 12, 2008 from http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/15033763/detail.html