Otago Uni has every right to restrict the Internet on campus

The Herald reported:

The University of Otago's ban on pornography in residential colleges is being slammed as an attack on student freedom.

Genetics student and former Toroa College resident Anton Hovius, 19, yesterday attacked what he called “draconian” alcohol and usage policies at Dunedin's residential colleges.

Internet access at the colleges — most are university owned — runs through the university's network.Certain websites, including file sharing and pornography sites, are blocked.

University student accommodation director James Lindsay rejected Mr Hovius' concerns, saying the primary aim of colleges was to provide an where students could focus on their studies.

Mr Hovius, who recently unsuccessfully stood for OUSA's colleges officer position, said he was not the only one who felt this was an unfair restriction on student freedom.

know a couple of friends who have been given warning notices from [Information Technology Services] down at the university, informing of their inappropriate use of university resources.”

As adults, students in halls should not be limited from using the internet as they saw fit, which included accessing pornography and file sharing sites.

“It doesn't make sense when you are paying $340 bucks a week [which covers full board and food], to have the university interfering with what you are doing in your private time.”

 

The Government should not restrict what sites you can access, but has every right to say they will not provide access to and file sharing sites. They are not greatly different to an employer providing Internet. They do have a duty to not block sites which students need for research, and hopefully their blocking is done in a way which has minimal false positives.

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