[Libs-Or] Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – November 2023

[Jennifer Keyser]

Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – November 2023

------------------------------
Greetings Oregon Library Community,

Please find below the November edition of Multnomah County Library's
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter. A PDF version of the newsletter is
attached.

Censorship, misinformation and AI continue to dominate the news. This
month's newsletter features links to various reports and studies that dive
deeper into censorship and misinformation.

Thanks for reading and all your work around intellectual freedom.


Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – November 2023

------------------------------
Intellectual Freedom News

USA Today provides an in-depth look at the connection between social media
posts and hate messages
<https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2023/11/02/libs-of-tiktok-tweets-death-bomb-threats/71409213007/>
directed at schools, libraries and other public institutes (22 min). The
article draws from recently published research by Media Matters
<https://www.mediamatters.org/libs-tiktok/timeline-impact-libs-tiktok-told-through-educators-health-care-providers-librarians>
(23 min). (social media, diversity)

Moms for Liberty continue to make the news:  calling the cops on librarians
<https://popular.info/p/moms-for-liberty-members-call-the> (Popular
Information, 14 min), associating with Proud Boys
<https://news.yahoo.com/moms-liberty-scrambles-removes-leaders-110009815.html>
(Yahoo! News, 5 min), challenging the Scholastic Book Fair
<https://kfor.com/news/local/moms-for-liberty-asks-oklahoma-to-drop-book-fair-vendor-claiming-its-promoting-radical-viewpoints-sexual-ideologies/>
(KFOR, 5 min -worth noting a new alternative book fair is being promoted
<https://bookriot.com/skytree-book-fairs/> (Book Riot, ), and as an extreme
right-wing group (
<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/nov/21/moms-for-liberty-school-board-elections>The
Guardian, 7 min). The Advocate expands on  the incident with police
<https://www.advocate.com/news/teacher-moms-for-liberty-scheme> (3 min).
Related, The Washington Post looks at the impact of recent Florida laws on
one librarian
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2023/florida-book-bans-school-rules/>
(18 min) and School Library Journal details on-the-job harassment
<https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/story/School-and-Public-Librarians-describe-on-the-job-harassment-censorship>
due to book ban and related challenges, and how it is creating silent
censorship (15 min). (censorship, legislation)

Recent academic papers examine the role of politics in book challenges
<https://www.edworkingpapers.com/ai22-693> and the impact of censorship
<https://www.infodocket.com/2023/10/31/increased-circulation-book-bans-may-have-unintended-consequences-in-increasingly-polarized-united-states/>
(increasing polarization and circulation of materials). Read the report
documenting the secretive censorship
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mHfe_L0JReg9rXUWo-9Zw8tbT_pILMgh/view>
that occurred within the Greenville County Library System
<https://www.postandcourier.com/greenville/politics/greenville-county-library-censoring-lgbtq-books-flag/article_4cb97242-6c43-11ee-adfd-df87cbfeec99.html>
(Freedom in Libraries Advocacy Group). The Michigan Library
Association has proposed
new legislation
<https://www.milibraries.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1551%3Aa-public-library-bill---michigan-freedom-to-read-act----note-from-debbie---october-26--2023---news---michigan-library-association&catid=27%3Anews-mla&Itemid=292>
around the freedom to read (12 min). An education journalist offers their
perspective on the challenge of covering book bans
<https://us11.campaign-archive.com/?u=ef2f8c2796b6f08a0f849c4ae&id=36192c7edd>
(The Grade, 11 min). (censorship, legislation)

Authors and celebrities continue to speak out against censorship,
including LeVar
Burton championing reading
<https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a45825849/levar-burton-book-banning-interview/>
(Esquire, 20 min), Jodi Picoult engaging with school boards
<https://www.wpr.org/best-selling-author-jodi-picoult-says-menomonee-falls-school-district-wont-discuss-book-ban>
(Wisconsin Public Radio, 4 min), Mike Curato reminding teens they are valued
<https://lasvegassun.com/news/2023/nov/13/author-of-banned-book-to-students-you-have-a-voice/>
(Las Vegas Sun News, 5 min), Leah Johnson opening a bookstore
<https://www.phillytrib.com/lifestyle/this-bestselling-author-s-book-was-challenged-in-schools-so-she-opened-a-store-for/article_84361c6c-7c14-11ee-aeee-e3f895790468.html>
(Philadelphia Tribune, 7 min) and Pink giving away books
<https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pink-give-away-2000-banned-books-florida-concerts-rcna125097>(NBC
News, 3 min). (censorship, equity)

Teen Vogue highlights how students are organizing to support libraries
<https://www.teenvogue.com/story/students-and-activists-are-organizing-to-keep-libraries-safe-and-funded>
(11 min). Penguin Random House launched the
<https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/24/penguin-random-house-launches-high-schoolers-award-to-combat-book-bans>Freedom
of Expression Award
<https://social-impact.penguinrandomhouse.com/our-awards/u-s-creative-writing-awards/>
for teens  (The Guardian, 5 min). (censorship)

A PEN America report shows increased censorship in classrooms
<https://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2023-11-09/a-new-pen-america-report-documents-increased-censorship-in-classrooms>(
WFSU News, 7 min). Read the full report
<https://pen.org/report/americas-censored-classrooms-2023>. The Atlantic
looks at efforts to reform higher educatio
<https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/11/american-universities-republicans-christopher-rufo/675849/>n
(20 min). This opinion piece underscores how modification and silence can
lead to censorship
<https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2023/11/08/censors-wont-be-satisfied-minor-course-changes-opinion>.
(Inside Higher Ed, 9 min) (censorship, legislation)

Lighting the Way
<https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2023/11/01/lighting-the-way/> shares
the work of poets and prison reform activists in fighting censorship and
building pathways to access within prisons (American Libraries Magazine, 11
min). This profile of the Little Free Library organization
<https://littlevillagemag.com/margret-aldrich-little-free-library-book-bans/>
demonstrates the need for access to books, highlights little libraries
fighting censorship and other initiatives of the nonprofit (Little Village,
14 min).   (censorship, access)

Pitchfork explores the limitations of the internet as a collective
memory: Regional
Rap Classics Are Slowly Disappearing From the Internet
<https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/regional-rap-classics-are-slowly-disappearing-from-the-internet/>
(10 min). (access)

The right to repair <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_repair>
movement is gaining traction in the states, but faces some federal hurdles,
see The right-to-repair movement is just getting started
<https://www.theverge.com/23951200/right-to-repair-law-apple-ifixit-iphone>
(Verge, 24 min) and The battle over right to repair is a fight over your
car's data
<https://theconversation.com/the-battle-over-right-to-repair-is-a-fight-over-your-cars-data-213052>
(The Conversation, 9 min). (access)

NPR’s All Things Considered highlights how one group is fighting the
proliferation of fake images and videos on social media
<https://www.npr.org/2023/10/23/1208061549/thousands-of-fakereporter-volunteers-sort-through-disinformation-on-social-media>
(4 min). U.S. Tries New Tack on Russian Disinformation: Pre-Empting It
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/26/technology/russian-disinformation-us-state-department-campaign.html>
(New York Times, 10 min). CNN reports on how China is using social media to
harass Americans
<https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/13/us/china-online-disinformation-invs/index.html>
(16 min). Researchers note how X has become a hotbed of misinformation
<https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03483-8> and more challenging
to navigate with the removal of transparency features (Nature, 7 min). The
New York Times looks at recent regulations from the FTC and efforts from
industries to address the prevalence of fake reviews
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/13/technology/fake-reviews-crackdown.html>
(12 min). (disinformation, legislation)

The Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas released a 3-part series of
articles on misinformation and Latinos in the U.S. Here is the first: In
and Out of the Rabbit Hole: Exploring Misinformation Adoption
<https://www.ddia.org/en/exploring-misinformation-adoption-of-latinos-in-the-united-states>
(12 min). The Conversation highlights partisan perspectives on the handling
of misinformation
<https://theconversation.com/its-not-just-about-facts-democrats-and-republicans-have-sharply-different-attitudes-about-removing-misinformation-from-social-media-216809>
(7 min).  (disinformation)

FCC aims to eliminate 'digital discrimination' for communities with poor
internet access
<https://apnews.com/article/fcc-broadband-redlining-internet-access-rural-race-f7fe239eb61b1241020d6b5737789277>
(AP News, 6 min). Forbes reports on the impact of Net Neutrality on Black
entrepreneurs
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/korihale/2023/11/07/internet-equality-how-the-fcc-reinstating-net-neutrality-impacts-black-entrepreneurs/?sh=7121efc62531>
(4 min). (access, equity)

On the horizon, reforms to Section 702
<https://www.justsecurity.org/89786/the-year-of-section-702-reform-part-iv-the-government-surveillance-reform-act/>
to limit domestic surveillance (Just Security, 18 min). See also Wired’s
report
<https://www.wired.com/story/government-surveillance-reform-act-2023/> on
Government Surveillance Reform Act, which provides some background info. (
privacy)

AI Corner: The White House announced a Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights
<https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ai-bill-of-rights/> (15 min). CNN summarizes
the AI Bill of Rights
<https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/04/tech/ai-bill-of-rights/index.html> (4 min).
Barack Obama provided input on the guidelines and shared his reading list
on the rise of AI
<https://barackobama.medium.com/what-im-reading-on-the-rise-of-artificial-intelligence-72e088918de2>
(Medium). See also an interview of Obama
<https://www.theverge.com/23948871/barack-obama-ai-regulation-free-speech-first-amendment-decoder-interview>
talking about AI (The Verge, 45 min).  (first amendment, privacy)

The Washington Post examines how AI-generated images end up in social media
and the news
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/11/23/stock-photos-ai-images-controversy/>(12
min). The New York Time highlights the frequency of chatbot hallucinations
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/06/technology/chatbots-hallucination-rates.html>
(9 min). Wired explains the role of AI in Israel-Hamas disinformation
<https://www.wired.com/story/israel-hamas-war-generative-artificial-intelligence-disinformation/>
(8 min). CNET offers a guide on AI Misinformation: How It Works and Ways to
Spot It
<https://www.cnet.com/news/misinformation/ai-misinformation-how-it-works-and-ways-to-spot-it/>
(14 min). (disinformation)

The Conversation reflects on the one-year anniversary of the ChatGPT
<https://theconversation.com/chatgpt-turns-1-ai-chatbots-success-says-as-much-about-humans-as-technology-218704>
(7 min).

Additional Resources

ALA Intellectual Freedom Blog: https://www.oif.ala.org A blog dedicated to
intellectual freedom issues, and includes the Intellectual Freedom News
<https://www.oif.ala.org/category/intellectual-freedom-news/> –a weekly
roundup of IF related articles

Oregon Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Toolkit
<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/iftoolkit/home> (published February 8,
2022). A range of tools and resources relating to IF challenges and
policies created by the OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee.

Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions is a monthly roundup of Intellectual
Freedom News compiled by the Multnomah County Library Intellectual Freedom
Committee. We welcome suggestions at lib.ifc at multco.us.

*Jennifer Keyser *(she/her)
*Policy Coordinator Librarian*
Monday - Friday
971-429-4699
Multnomah County Library
multcolib.org
[This email was encrypted for your privacy and security]
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