The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a congressional attempt to protect children from online pornography.
In a 6-3 decision issued June 23, the high court upheld a federal law, the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), requiring public libraries that receive government Internet discounts to install filters on their computers to block pornography. Pro-family advocates applauded the decision, which ended a pattern of federal courts striking down laws designed to protect children from Internet porn.
The ruling reversed an opinion last year by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals that struck down a portion of the Children’s Internet Protection Act.
A three-judge panel of the Third Circuit Court in Philadelphia had said in its 2002 opinion the law is a content-based restriction on what constitutes a public forum, Internet access at a public library. The use of filters is not narrowly tailored to advance the government’s interest in restricting the distribution of illegal pornography, the panel ruled. It also said the leading filters block thousands of pages of constitutionally protected speech.
Chief Justice William Rehnquist wrote, “To the extent that libraries wish to offer unfiltered access, they are free to do so without federal assistance.” CIPA does not violate library patrons’ First Amendment rights.
(BP)
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