Internet Blocking & Censorware

(Online Content Filtering/Labeling/Rating)

Focus: Internet Blocking

» Supreme Court Supports Library Internet Blocking Law (June 23, 2003)

» Study Released on Internet Blocking in Schools (June 23, 2003)

» Seth Finkelstein has posted DMCA 1201 Exepmtion transcripts from April 11, 2003 in Washington D.C. and May 14, 2003 in Los Angeles, California.

» Seth Finkelstein has posted the CIPA Transcript - USA v. ALA.

» Online Policy Group, Seth Finkelstein Submit CIPA Court Brief

» Hearing Scheduled in CHIPA Challenge -
Court date of Feb. 14, 2002 now set in EFF/ALA/ACLU constitutional lawsuit against the "Children's Internet Protection Act" censorware law.
[EFF press release] [more about the case] (Updated June 28, 2001)

» Censorware Maker Opposes State Bill to Force Library Blocking -
A first? SurfControl, makers of the Internet blocking product CyberPatrol, have issued a statement opposing Massachusetts legislation that would mandate censorship software in state-funded libraries.
[CNet article] (June 5, 2001)

More Headlines

Internet Blocking Action & Activism

"The Internet is a Terrible Thing to Waste" - Get Involved in Stopping Censorware!

Here are some basic ideas about how to get involved in preventing the spread of Internet blocking, especially in schools and libraries:

Endorse the Joint Statement Opposing Internet Blocking Requirements in School and Libraries (send your endorsement to statement@onlinepolicy.org).
Request a copy of your local school and library Internet use policies. Examine them closely and reply with polite, constructive, and firm criticism if they are defective and send a copy to EFF.
Attend public hearings about school and library Internet policies and voice your views about the effects of Internet blocking on students and library patrons. Let EFF know when hearings are scheduled to get out the word so more people can attend.
Organize or attend a local protest opposing requirements for Internet blocking at schools and libraries. Try to enlist the aid of librarians, educators and sympathetic library officials and school board members. (See below for prior protest coverage.) Email freespeech@eff.org to help organize a protest in your area once the court decision is announced in the ACLU/EFF/ALA litigation against CHIPA.
Write your representatives in Congress and your state legislature to urge repeal of the federal Children's Internet Protection Act and any similar state or local legislation or regulations. For more information on how to contact your legislators, see EFF's guide on the topic at:
http://www.eff.org/congress
Join our anti-blocking speakers' bureau to help educate and influence opinion on Internet blocking in your local area. (Contact statement@onlinepolicy.org to join.)

To let EFF know what you are doing about Internet blocking so we can work together and publicize our activities, you can email freespeech@eff.org

Coverage of Blocking Protests

Protests, demonstrations and other outcry against censorware in schools and libraries are on the rise, indicating growing concern in general public about this technology.

See our photo and video coverage of the Nationwide Protests Against the CHIPA Internet Blocking Law that took place on April 20, 2001.

Internet Blocking Law & Policy

U.S. Federal Internet Blocking Policy

Children's Internet Protection Act (CHIPA or CIPA) Blocking Law

EFF statement on CHIPA (CIPA) -
Electronic Frontier Foundation statement on and analysis of mandatory censorware (content blocking software) riders (Children's Online Protection Act & Neighborhood Children's Online Protection Act) attached to the H.R. 4577 funding bill. (Dec. 22, 2000)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20001222_eff_hr4577_statement.html

CHIPA (CIPA) as passed into law -
"Children's Internet Protection Act" (CHIPA or CIPA) and "Neighborhood Children's Internet Protection Act" (NCHIPA or NCIPA) excerpts from massive appropriations bill H.R. 4577; final version, as passed into law as Public Law 106-554 (Dec. 21, 2000).
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20001221_hr4577_censorware_excerpts.html

EFF Topics: The CHIPA Legal Challenges

Archived Materials

Subtopics

Descriptions of Subtopics...

Files

(Much more material may be available under the subtopics above)

EFF Press Release: CHIPA Protests Indicate Public Opposition to Library Censorware -
Spirited groups of activists opposed to Internet blocking protested, some of them chanting in pouring rain, against implementation of congressionally-mandated Internet blocking in schools and libraries. The protests, organized by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Online Policy Group and the American Civil Liberties Union, took place in Pleasanton, California, and Long Island, New York, as well as in "blackouts" of websites supportive of the protest action. Participants included a college professor and COPA Commission member, and a Berkeley city councilor. (Apr. 20, 2001)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20010420_eff_chipa_protest_pr.html

EFF CHIPA Protest Photos & Video -
Photos and video clips from the Pleasanton, CA, and Long Island, NY,demonstrations against the so-called "Children's Online Protection Act", an Internet censorship law that essentially mandates the use of Internet content blocking software in public libraries and schools. (Apr. 20, 2001)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20010420_chipa_protest_pics.html

EFF Media Release: EFF Calls for Nationwide CHIPA Protests -
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has issued a call to action for nationwide protests on Friday, April 20, 2001, opposing implementation of Congressionally-mandated Internet blocking in schools and libraries. The protests will take place at Federal Communications Commission offices, other federal offices, libraries, and Internet blocking companies, as well as in "blackouts" of websites in support of the protest. (Apr. 2, 2001)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20010402_eff_chipa_protest_pr.html

Joint Statement Against Censorware -
Joint statement of Online Policy Group, Electronic Frontier Foundation and many other groups and individuals against government-imposed Internet content blocking software in federally funded schools and libraries. Includes media references, links to supporting documents, and clear reasons why censorware in libraries (and schools) does more harm than good. Statement issued in response to the passage of the so-called Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA or CHIPA), and the closely related Neighborhood Children's Internet Protection Act" (NCIPA), two disingenously-named censorship laws that restrict the freedom to read of adults as well as minors, and which will lead to the blocking of access to content that is constitutionally protected EVEN FOR MINORS. (Issued Jan. 17, 2001).
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20010117_joint_censorware_statement.html

EFF NRC Censorware Paper #1 -
Electronic Frontier Foundation whitepaper for National Research Council Internet content blocking study: "Blacklisting Bytes", co-authors: Seth Finkelstein, Consulting Programmer; Lee Tien, Senior Staff Attorney, EFF. EFF's thesis is simple: The quest for a technical solution to the alleged problem of minors' access to "harmful" material on the Internet is both misguided and dangerous to civil liberties. (Mar. 6, 2001)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20010306_eff_nrc_paper1.html

EFF NRC Censorware Paper #2 -
Electronic Frontier Foundation whitepaper for National Research Council Internet content blocking study: "The 'vexing' question of the state's interest in preventing minors' access to 'harmful to minors' material", author, Lee Tien, Senior Staff Attorney, EFF. In this White Paper, EFF argues that the state interest in regulation of non-obscene non-indecent materials is much narrower than it appears at first glance. EFF does not here challenge the proposition that the government has a legitimate interest of some sort, but we believe that such arguments are specious. In particular, EFF believes that the government has failed to establish that there exists a problem to be solved, as distinguished from a vague fear. (Mar. 6, 2001)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20010306_eff_nrc_paper2.html

ACLU analysis of CHIPA (CIPA) -
American Civil Liberties Union Alaysis of the censorware riders (Children's Online Protection Act & Neighborhood Children's Online Protection Act) attached to the H.R. 4577 funding bill. (Oct. 2, 2000)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20001002_aclu_hr4577_analysis.html

Net industry statement on CHIPA (CIPA) -
Internet industry letter to legislators, opposing the censorware riders (Children's Online Protection Act & Neighborhood Children's Online Protection Act) attached to the H.R. 4577 funding bill. (Sep. 28, 2000)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20000928_industry_hr4577_letter.html

Right-wing opposition to CHIPA (CIPA) -
Right-wing (Republican, Libertarian, and religious right) groups' letter to legislators, opposing the censorware riders (Children's Online Protection Act & Neighborhood Children's Online Protection Act) attached to the H.R. 4577 funding bill. (Sep. 11, 2000)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20000911_right_hr4577_letter.html

Education groups' opposition to CHIPA (CIPA) -
Education and school groups' letter to legislators, opposing the censorware riders (Children's Online Protection Act & Neighborhood Children's Online Protection Act) attached to the H.R. 4577 funding bill. (Aug. 31, 2000)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/20000831_edu_hr4577_letter.html

Revised version of CHIPA (CIPA) -
Draft of revisions to censorware riders (Children's Online Protection Act & Neighborhood Children's Online Protection Act) on H.R. 4577 funding bill. This new draft, in which differences between Istook, McCain and other censorious legislators were ironed out draft, replaces the older 06/15/2000 censorware riders in H.R. 4577 (below).
ttp://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/hr4577_censorware_20000728_draft.html

Early version of CHIPA (CIPA) -
Portions of huge funding bill, H.R. 4577, that contain early version of Sen. McCain's mandatory school/library censorware provisions (Children's Internet Protection Act). These censorship measures were attached as a rider during Senate markup of the House bill, and preserved in the conference committee version. They were then removed, along with all riders. Later, it was put back in, in different form (see 07/28/2000 draft, above), and later passed.
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/hr4577_censorware_20000615_excerpts.html

EFF Board Member Responds to Internet Rating System Proposed by Bertelsmann Foundation -
EFF statement (by boardmember Esther Dyson) critical of Bertelsmann Foundation global Internet content ratings proposal, launched at the Munich Internet Content Summit (Sept. 10, 1999)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/19990910_dyson_ratings_comments.html

GILC statement on international ratings & filters -
EFF & other GILC members submit comments to Munich Internet Content Summit, raising serious concerns with Bertelsmann Foundation's plans for an international rating & filtering system. (Sept. 7, 1999)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/19990907_gilc_intl_ratings_statement.html

Godwin & Abelson Criticism of Volokh Article on Censorware -EFF's Mike Godwin, and Hal Abelson of MIT, respond to UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh article in Slate, on Internet filters and CDA constitutional issues. Related material: http://www.slate.com/Feature1/96-07-18/Feature1.asp (Volokh article), and http://www.slate.com/Email/Current/Email.asp (debate with Slate readers). July 30, 1996 (HTML version) [Though co-written by an attorney then with EFF, this critique does not reflect an official EFF policy position.]
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/960730_godwin_abelson_filter_letter.html

CPSR's Filtering FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Content Filtering, Rating and Labelling -
An in-depth but introductory look at the issues raised. (HTML version)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/filtering_faq.html

CPSR's Filtering FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Content Filtering, Rating and Labelling -
An in-depth but introductory look at the issues raised. (ASCII text version)
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/filtering.faq

Summary of "Video Game Rating Act of 1994" bill, H.R. 3785 -
Feb 1994 "Video Game Rating Act" legislation sponsored by Congressman Lantos to provide for the establishment of an Interactive Entertainment Rating Commission to label video games with content-based ratings, like movies.
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/game_ratings_hr3785.summary

Filter Out the Naughty Bits: Net Nanny software -
A short Josh Quittner article from Time (reposted with permission) about SurfWatch, one of the first and largest Net filtration schemes. July 3, 1995 - foreshadowing a debate that still rages more than 6 years later.
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/surfwatch.article

"Kids and the Internet: The Promise and the Perils" - Internet Free Expression Alliance members' statement to National Commission on Library and Information Science on "Kids and the Internet: The Promise and the Perils", focusing on the First Amendment, filtering software, and alternatives to it. (Dec. 14, 1998) [HTML version]
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/19981214_ifea_nclis_statement.html

"Kids and the Internet: The Promise and the Perils" - Internet Free Expression Alliance members' statement to National Commission on Library and Information Science on "Kids and the Internet: The Promise and the Perils", focusing on the First Amendment, filtering software, and alternatives to it. (Dec. 14, 1998) [ASCII text version]
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/19981214_ifea_nclis.statement.html

Subtopic Descriptions

Multnomah County Library v. US -
Directory of info on an EFF, ACLU, et al.-supported case by the Multnomah Co. [OR] Library against the mandatory Internet content blocking law "Children's Internet Protection Act" (CHIPA or CIPA), and "Neighborhood Internet Children's Protection Act" (NCIPA), in the Eastern District of PA federal US court, challenging the statutes on First Amendment grounds. See also ALA v. US.
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/Multnomah_Library_v_US/

American Library Association v. US -
Directory of info on an American Library Association (ALA) case against mandatory Internet content blocking law "Children's Internet Protection Act" (CHIPA or CIPA), and "Neighborhood Internet Children's Protection Act" (NCIPA), in the Eastern District of PA federal US court, challenging the statutes on First Amendment grounds. See also Multnomah Library v. US
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/ALA_v_US/

Microsystems v. Scandinavia Online -
Directory of info on the Cyber Patrol case - Microsystems (and Mattel) sue two foreign ISPs and two website authors under bogus copyright and trade secret claims in an attempt to silence critics who have decrypted the Cyber Patrol censorware's blacklist to show that it wrongly blocks out non-prographic material.
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/Microsystems_v_Scandinavia_Online/

Mainstream Loudoun v. Loudoun County Library -
Directory of info on the Mainstream Loudoun coalition's lawsuit to end censorship via Internet content filtering software in in the Loudoun Co., VA, public library.
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/Mainstream_Loudoun_v_Loudoun_Library/

Local, State & Non-US -
Directory of info on Internet blocking, filtering, rating & labeling issues at the local, state and non-US levels.
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Censorware/Foreign_and_local/

Internet Censorship Bills -
Link to directory of info on Internet censorship legislation and laws.
http://www.eff.org/Censorship/Internet_censorship_bills/

EFF's Blue Ribbon Campaign for Online Free Expression -
Link to EFF's Internet free speech campaign page
http://www.eff.org/br/

[Back to top]

May	JUN	Jul
	03
2005	2006	2007