Call for Proposals: Internet Filtering Symposium (Note: Due to COVID-19, the symposium has been rescheduled to April 2022) School of Information Science, University of Kentucky Proposals Due: December 15, 2021 Notification of Acceptance: January 20, 2022 https://dib.uky.edu/internetfilteringsymposium/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdib.uky.edu%2Finternetfilteringsymposium%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cshannon.oltmann%40uky.edu%7C22c1570f856645e0a2bc08d82b340c6b%7C2b30530b69b64457b818481cb53d42ae%7C0%7C0%7C637306849833918338&sdata=rH88oll3RKu%2BsSQR%2BZ9m1MktPQtXItd0cltUEHVOuDo%3D&reserved=0> The internet is filtered in public schools and public libraries across the U.S., as required by the federal legislation mandating the use of filters to receive E-rate funding for their internet services. Many states also tie funding for libraries and schools to some sort of internet filtering, or are reinforcing the use of internet filtering as a claimed remedy for prostitution, human trafficking, and pornography addiction.. The practice of mandating filtering as a prerequisite for funding is so widely accepted that libraries' and schools’ use of the $7.171 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund--just signed by President Biden--is conditioned on the installation and use of filters on all school and library owned laptops and tablets (and possibly mobile hotspots). But internet filtering may connect with misinformation and disinformation campaigns--is it better to provide an unfiltered, broad array of information to combat fake news, or is fake news the result of an unfiltered “wild west” internet? Very little is known about the ways in which filtering is implemented, its effects, or the populations who are most impacted. For this symposium, we invite proposals that address the lack of research and information about implementation and effects of internet filtering; the relationship between internet filtering and digital literacy and/ or misinformation; the impacts of proposed and actual legislation; the relationship between freedom of speech, censorship, and internet filtering; and other perspectives and approaches to internet filtering in the U.S. (1) For paper proposals, please submit an 800-1000 word abstract of your paper. (2) For panel, fishbowl, or group proposals, please identify participants with a 100-250 word biography and submit a 1000-1500 word abstract of your topic and treatment. Proposals should be sent to shannon.oltmann@uky.edu Deadline for Proposals: December 15, 2021 Notification of Acceptance: January 20, 2022 Conference Date: April 2022 (tbd) Conference Organizing Committee: Shannon M. Oltmann, Associate Professor, University of Kentucky Emily J.M. Knox, Associate Professor, University of Illinois Chris Peterson, Board of Directors, National Coalition Against Censorship Deborah Caldwell-Stone, Director, Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association Sponsors: Institute of Museum and Library Services (Grant # LG-12-19-0051-19) Shannon M. Oltmann, Ph.D. Pronouns: she/her/hers Associate Professor School of Information Science College of Communication & Information University of Kentucky shannon.oltmann@uky.edu<mailto:shannon.oltmann@uky.edu> Editor, Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy Associate Editor, Library Quarterly