Photo c/o Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. office.
LinkNYC’s has disabled web browser capabilities on their public tablets, after a request from Bronx Borough President asking for filters to be created to prevent people from hogging the public device or viewing lewd content.
“We’ve heard a great deal of concern from all corners of the city about the misuse of these kiosks for lewd and nefarious purposes, and today’s announcement that web browsing services will be disabled on LinkNYC kiosks is a step in the right direction,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “These kiosks and the connectivity they provide are key to bridging the digital divide in our city, and we must ensure that a handful of less-than-wholesome users do not threaten the success of the entire enterprise. Disabling web browsing prevents the most objectionable uses of these kiosks and make our streets safer, while also preserving the best parts of the LinkNYC service.”
LinkNYC kiosks provide New Yorkers with free, secure, fast Wi-Fi, free domestic calling, two USB charging ports, a tablet for accessing the Internet, and a red 911 button to contact emergency services In The Bronx, more than 700 Links will be installed over the next several years as part of the 7,500 Links across the five boroughs. The Bronx already has 10,000 registered users. Tablet features on the first Bronx Links have been used nearly 50,000 times, with more than 20,000 free phone calls made.
“The purpose of the physical use of the kiosks is for subscribers to be able to make free domestic calls, provide USB charging ports to charge up phones and tablets, provide Internet access, and for emergency services,” said Bronx Borough President Diaz Jr. “I want to thank the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, as well as CityBridge, for listening to the issues raised by New York City residents regarding the use of these kiosks and making these positive adjustments. I strongly believe that these services are another giant step forward towards providing better communication access for all of our city residents, and are an important part of our continued push for social and technological equality.”
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