Challenging the Child Online Protection Act

narramissic writes, "Today in Philadelphia a federal trial got underway that will decide whether COPA is constitutional. The outcome will determine whether operators of Web sites can be held accountable for failing to block children's access to inappropriate materials. An article on ITworld outlines the arguments of the foes in the battle: the DOJ and the ACLU. If I were a betting woman, I'd put my money on the ACLU. Parents, schools, etc. have to take responsibility for the internet usage of children in their charge." Two courts have found COPA unconstitutional and the Supreme Court has upheld the ban on its enforcement, while asking a lower court to examine whether technological measures such as filtering could be as effective as the law in shielding children; thus this trial. The article does not mention that it was the DOJ's preparation for the trial that was behind its earlier request that search companies turn over their records — a request that only Google refused.

Comments

A corrosive addcitive effect...

[happy_place]

I hope it is found legal. Pornography is addictive, and is not victimless. I don't know of many people proud of this sort of thing, and it hurts families and breaks up stable relationships. Most people aren't proud of their involvement in it. Whenever it does come up that someone has a problem with the stuff, it's always a "scandal". It leads people to think that they need more titillation in order to be happy in their relationships. I have always failed to understand how a thing that is addictive, warps young minds before a young boy and girl even have a chance to go on their first date they're fed garbabe from all sorts of ridiculous entertainment forms, and destroys the peace of so many people, why it cannot be regulated and controlled, in order to promote freedom, rather than the other way around. If it were just boobies, shown in good taste, I don't think I'd care, but this deluge of all sorts of stuff, which is escalating to be "Younger, wilder, dirtier, or more perverse" isn't leading anyone in the direction which sustains and inspires citizens to treat each other with the respect we're all due. --Ray

Re:How is this different that AMERICA?

[Anonymous Coward]

>> "Speaking as a European, I can safely say, so what? "

Europeans do not speak: they vent the shit filling their skulls from their mouths.