The Communications Decency Act
The Communications Decency Act that was signed into law by President
Clinton over a year ago is clearly in need of serious revisions due, not only to
its vagueness, but mostly due to the fact that the government is infringing on
our freedom of speech, may it be indecent or not. The Communications Decency
Act, also know by Internet users as the CDA, is an Act that aims to remove
indecent or dangerous text, lewd images, and other things deemed inappropriate
from public areas of the net. The CDA is mainly out to protect children.
In the beginning, the anonymity of the Internet caused it to become a
haven for the free trading of pornography. This is mainly what gives the
Internet a bad name. There is also information on the Net that could be harmful
to children. Information on how to make home-made explosives and similar info
such as The Jolly Rodgers and the Anarchist's Cookbook are easily obtained on
the Net. Pedophiles (people attracted to child porn) also have a place to hide
on the Internet where nobody has to know their real name. As the average age of
the Internet user has started to drop, it has became apparent that something has
to be done about the pornography and other inappropriate info on the net.
On February 1, 1995, Senator Exon, a Democrat from Nebraska, and Senator
Gorton, a Republican from Washington, introduced the first bill towards
regulating online porn. This was the first incarnation of the
Telecommunications Reform Bill.
On April 7, 1995, Senator Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, introduces
bill S714. Bill S714 is an alternative to the Exon/Gorton bill. This bill
commissions the Department of Justice to study the problem to see if additional
legislature (such as the CDA) is even necessary.
The Senate passed the CDA as attached to the Telecomm reform bill on
June 14, 1995 with a vote of 84-16. The Leahy bill does not pass, but is
supported by 16 Senators that actually understand what the Internet is.... [continues]
The Communications Decency Act that was signed into law by President
Clinton over a year ago is clearly in need of serious revisions due, not only to
its vagueness, but mostly due to the fact that the government is infringing on
our freedom of speech, may it be indecent or not. The Communications Decency
Act, also know by Internet users as the CDA, is an Act that aims to remove
indecent or dangerous text, lewd images, and other things deemed inappropriate
from public areas of the net. The CDA is mainly out to protect children.
In the beginning, the anonymity of the Internet caused it to become a
haven for the free trading of pornography. This is mainly what gives the
Internet a bad name. There is also information on the Net that could be harmful
to children. Information on how to make home-made explosives and similar info
such as The Jolly Rodgers and the Anarchist's Cookbook are easily obtained on
the Net. Pedophiles (people attracted to child porn) also have a place to hide
on the Internet where nobody has to know their real name. As the average age of
the Internet user has started to drop, it has became apparent that something has
to be done about the pornography and other inappropriate info on the net.
On February 1, 1995, Senator Exon, a Democrat from Nebraska, and Senator
Gorton, a Republican from Washington, introduced the first bill towards
regulating online porn. This was the first incarnation of the
Telecommunications Reform Bill.
On April 7, 1995, Senator Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, introduces
bill S714. Bill S714 is an alternative to the Exon/Gorton bill. This bill
commissions the Department of Justice to study the problem to see if additional
legislature (such as the CDA) is even necessary.
The Senate passed the CDA as attached to the Telecomm reform bill on
June 14, 1995 with a vote of 84-16. The Leahy bill does not pass, but is
supported by 16 Senators that actually understand what the Internet is.... [continues]
Cite This Essay
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(1999, 10). The Communications Decency Act. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 10, 1999, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Communications-Decency-Act-912.html
- MLA
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"The Communications Decency Act" StudyMode.com. 10 1999. 10 1999 <http://www.studymode.com/essays/Communications-Decency-Act-912.html>.
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"The Communications Decency Act." StudyMode.com. 10, 1999. Accessed 10, 1999. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Communications-Decency-Act-912.html.
