Files in this Archive

47usc_s223_exon_proposed.amend

Text of S223, as it would be amended by the Communications Decency Act

aclu_hr1555_95_mgrs_amend.alert

ACLU alert regarding HR1555's "Manager's Mark" amendment, an Exon-bill-like provision that was "slipped in" to the House telecom bill.

aclu_hr1555_95_passage.alert

ACLU alert, Aug. 4 95, regarding the Passage of HR1555, including the censorious "Managers' Mark" amendment.

aclu_s314_hr1004.statement

ACLU alert regarding the Communications Decency Act

admin_s652.statement

Administration statement regarding Senate Telecommunications Act, with a section on the Exon amendment

afa_exon_040495.letter

Letter from the American Family Association to Sen. Exon regarding his bill

afa_pressler_042695.letter

Letter from the American Family Association to Sen. Pressler

amend_s314_rose.article

Computer Underground Digest article about the Exon bill

anti-cda_petition.old

original anti-CDA petition.

barlow_0296.declaration

Declarlation of cyberspatial independence: EFF co-founder John Perry Barlow's response to the 1996 Telecommunications "Reform" Act's Communications "Decency" Amendment

berman_v_exon_062295_newshour.transcript

CDT's Jerry Berman and Sen. Jim Exon go head-to-head on Internet censorship (transcript from _MacNeil/Lehrer_NewsHour_).

cda_051995_s652_amend.draft

Draft amendment to the Exon Communications Decency Act

cda_censorship.article

6/2/95 article by Dave Winer presenting the CDA debate in a new, interesting perspective

cda_effect_on_e-libraries.article

John Noring's exploration of the likely ill effects of the CDA on the development of online libraries. Not a pretty picture.

cda_passage_eff.analysis

EFF analysis, June 16, 1995, of the version of the Exon "Communications Decency Act" passed by the Senate as part of S.652, the telecom "deregulation" bill.

cdt_cda.analysis

Analysis of the Exon bill by the Center for Democracy and Technology

cdt_hr1555_95_passage.statement

Center for Democracy & Technology statement on passage of HR1555 (including the Cox/Wyden and Managers' Mark amendments)

cdt_pfaw_cda.analysis

Analysis of Exon bill from CDT and People for the American Way

cdt_s314.analysis

CDT analysis of S 314

cix_hr1555_95_cox-wyden_080395.letter

Commerical Internet eXchange (CIX) letter to the House regarding HR 1555 (the telecom reform bill), in particular supporting the Cox/Wyden anti-censorship amendment.

content_regulation_johnson.article

Editorial examining online content regulation issues by EFF Board member David Johnson (1995)

cpsr_ieee_acm_aaai_siam_exon.letter

Letter from several computing societies (e.g. Computer Proffessionals for Social Responsibility) to Exon re his bill

de_schmutz_und_schund_26_act.note

short article on the 1929 German Reichstag law against "smut and trash" and it's similarity to US Senator J.J. Exon's "Communications Decency Act of 1995"

doj_leahy_cda_050395.letter

Letter from the DoJ to Sen. Leahy in answer to concerns he raised over the Exon bill (includes analysis of the DoJ response). Bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)

dole_grassley_95_cdt.summary

CDT analysis of S.892, a bill by Senators Dole and Grassley that is even worse that the Exon amendment. Not expected to pass, but then again this legislation is not dead yet (as of Oct. 95)

eff-aclu_cda_lawsuit_020796.alert

EFF press release regarding the important lawsuit filed Feb. 8, 1996 challenging the constitutionality of the 1996 Telecom Bill's "Communications Decency" amendment, and seeking an injunction against enforcement of this terrible new law until the case as a whole is decided.

eff_s314_hr1004.statement

EFF Alert regarding S314 and HR1004

ema_exonbill_020395_alert.old

original EMA alert regarding the Exon bill.

ema_hr1004_030295.alert

EMA's action alert regarding the House version of the Comm. Decency Act.

ema_s314_hr1004.analysis

Analysis of S314 prepared by the Electronic Messaging Association. The analysis covers all aspects of the CDA's implementation and provides the standard arguments against it.

eshoo_010596_cda.article

Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) op-ed piece lambasting the "Communications Decency" legislation (Jan. 5, 1996)

exon_comstock_cato.paper

Cato Institute paper on the Exon "Communications Decency Act" and other attempts at censorship in the US, such as the "Comstock Law".

exon_s1822.amend

Text of the amendment Exon offered in 1994

fundamentalists_cda_congress_101695.letter

Letter to leaders of Congressional committees with the power to successfully introduce Internet censorship legislation even worse that Exons, from the Christian Coalition, Ed Meese, Morality in Media, and other fundamentalist pro-censorship groups. Address Rep. Henry Hyde took the bait, introduced their suggested legislation, and it was his version of the Comm. Decency Act that passed into law, Feb. 1996.

gorton_exon_s652_95.amend

Text of the Amendment as of 3/23/95

harmful_to_minors.summary

Todd Lappin's summary of what the "harmful to minors" statutory language really means, and how it related to "indecent", "obscene", and "obscene as to minors".

hr1004_95.bill

Text of the House version of the Communications Decency Act

hr1004_s314_95_gingrich_interview.excerpt

Excerpt from David Frost's interview with Gingrich in which Gingrich declares Exon's bill "probably" unconstitutional

hr1555_95.bill

the House version of the Telecom bill as introduced.

iwg_pressler_030295_s314.letter

Letter (and commentary) from the Interactive Working Group to Sens. Exon and Pressler regarding S. 314. The letter expresses concerns with S314's effects on both freedom of expression and the health of the communications industry.

johnson_fields_hr1004_040395.letter

Letter from House CDA sponsor Rep. Tim Johnson asking for hearings on the bill

leahy_0296_cda_repeal.announce

Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) statement (brief) from his home page, regarding his support of the Internet censorshiip protest, and his new bill to repeal the CDA (see also leahy_cda_repeal_020996.statement")

leahy_cda_repeal_020996.statement

Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) statement on his new bill to repeal the unconstitutional Communications "Decency" Act.

leahy_cda_senate_033095.statement

Sen. Leahy's statement in opposition to the CDA. Leahy believes that the CDA takes the wrong approach toward regualationa nd that it threatens the free speech and privacy rights of all internet users.

leahy_iwg_031595.letter

Letter from Sen. Leahy to IWG, asking them to explore alternatives to S. 314

mim_cda_032895.statement

Morality in Media statement regarding CDA. MiM opposes the CDA because of its implementation and effects on existing statutes, but supports the intent.

net_censorship_120595_eff.statement

EFF Statement on Proposals Regarding Content Control on the Net (Dec. 5, 95). EFF condemns unconstitutional censorship legislation.

nwu_anti-censorship_95.resolution

Aug. 5 95 unanimous resolution of the National Writers Union to oppose Internet censorship legislation. Roundly condemns the Exon bill, the Counter Terrorism Bill (S735) and other censorship legislation, including S974 and S892.

russell_0296_indecent.article

"THE X-ON CONGRESS: INDECENT COMMENT ON AN INDECENT SUBJECT", editorial by Steve Russell, retired Texas trial judge and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Texas; published online by _American_Reporter_ as a challenge to the CDA.

quarterman_cda_0396.article

_MicroTimes_ article by John S. Quarterman on the Comms. Decency Act and the numerous problems with it. Excellent introduction to the topic.

s1567_96.bill

Bill to repeal the Communications Decency Act, introduced Feb. 9, by Sens. Leahy and Feingold.

s314_95.bill

Text of S. 314, the Communications Decency Act

s314_95_aversa.article

AP article by Jeannine Aversa about the Clinton Administration's plan to offer an alternative to the CDA

s314_hr1004_95_exon_post.letter

Sen. Exon's letter to the Washington Post defending the CDA

s314_hr1004_95_furstenau.article

Editorial from the Lincoln Journal-Star opposing the CDA (4/2/95)

s314_hr1004_95_hutchison.statement

Statement (dated 3/10/95) from Sen. Hutchison explaining that she will review the text of the CDA before forming an opinion

s314_hr1004_post_eff.analysis

EFF policy paper on the original CDA

s314_hr1004_s652.alert

Alert from EFF, VTW, CDT and others re CDA (updated frequently)

s314_most_95.commentary

Commentary, occasionally about CDA, from SoCoOnline, that is more about the legislation of morality than specifically about S314.

s314_rotenberg_exon_cnn.transcript

Transcript of a CNN debate between Sen. Exon and EPIC director Marc Rotenberg (2/13/95)

s652_051995_amend_draft_aclu.statement

ACLU memo detailing problems with the revised Exon Admendment (5/24/95)

s652_95.bill

Text of S. 652, the "Telecommunications Competition and Deregulation Act of 1995", as introduced in the Senate.

s652_95_a1362_exon_coats.amend

the version of the Exon bill (this time co-sponsored by Sen. Coats) that passed the Senate. (What happened: Leahy amended the bill to circumvent Exon, then Exon & Coats amended Leahy's language out of the bill and put theirs back in. Your tax dollars at work.)

s652_95_acc.statements

Commentary on S. 652 from the Alliance for Competitive Communications 3/22/95

s652_95_aclu.alert

ACLU alert explaining the implications of the CDA, the arguments used by its supporters, replies to these arguments, and suggested courses of action for concerned netizens (3/23/95)

s652_95_aclu_providers.letter

ACLU alert urging people to write letters to their senators, includes a sample letter (3/28/95)

s652_95_breaux_senate.statement

Statement of Sen. Breaux in support of S. 652 (3/9/95)

s652_95_cst.report

Report of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on S. 652

s652_95_lott_amend_draft_cdt.notes

CDT report on the forthcoming amendment from Sen. Lott (R-Miss) which will strike the service provider defenses from the bill (6/6/95)

s652_hr1555_96.act

full text of the Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996, as passed and signed into law, Feb. 1996.

s652_hr1555_96_draft_bill.excerpt

1996 joint conference committee draft Internet censorship language from the Telecom Bill (new and not yet introduced into either house of Congress for a vote, as of Jan. 5, 1996.)

s652_s314_040794_clinton_speech.excerpt

excerpts from Clinton speech in Dallas, Texas, that are relevant to S.652 and S.314. (4/7/95)

s652_s314_hr1004_95_lynch.article

Article from the Lincoln Journal-Star, by David Lynch, about the controversy surrounding the CDA (4/2/95)

s652_s314_hr1004_kennedy.statement

Statement from Sen. Kennedy (D-Mass) expressing his opposition to the CDA (no date)

s652_s314_hr1004_rotenberg_noam_exon_npr.transcript

Transcript from an NPR program on the CDA, with an introduction from EPIC director Marc Rotenberg (5/5/95)

s714_95.bill

Text of S. 714, introduced by Sen. Leahy in direct opposition to the CDA

s714_leahy_intro.statement

Sen. Leahy's introduction of S. 714

s892_072495_berman_cdt_judiciary.testimony

Jerry Berman (Center for Democracy & Technology) testimony from Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, July 24 95. Berman's excellent testimony summs up quickly but in detail the very substantial arguments against the ridiculous and unconsitutional Dole/Grassley net censorship bill (the "Protection of Children from Computer Pornography Act of 1995", S892).

s892_95.bill

Dole/Grassley "Protection of Children from Computer Pornography Act of 1995" - the worst US Internet censorship legislation to date. Thoroughly unconstitutional. Fortunately, it is not expected to pass.

ssteele_eff_nyt_120995_cos.article

_New_York_Times_ op-ed piece by EFF's Shari Steele, on CoS's legal assault against online critics & sysops, and Congress' attack against online free speech.

thomas_niu_020896.letter

Letter from Prof. Jim Thomas to the president of Northern Illinois University following the signing of the Telecommunications Act, urging him to refrain from over-reaction, and to preserve online free speech at NIU. This could easily be an ideal model letter to other school administrations who begin clamping down on student speech in the wake of the CDA, or who seem confused as to which way to go.

wyden_0196_cda.statement

Rep. (now Sen.) Ron Wyden's campaign statement opposing the CDA (Jan., 1996)

Subdirectories in This Archive

Up to the Parent Directory

HTML/

a directory of little interest to FTP or gopher users; contains HTML files used by the WWW server.

Ratings_filters_labelling/

link to directory of info on Net filtering, content labelling, and ratings schemes (as discussed or recommended by several bills and position statements related to Internet censorship legislation

Related On-Site Resources

EFF_ACLU_v_DoJ/

link to directory of info on the important lawsuit filed Feb. 8, 1996 challenging the constitutionality of the 1996 Telecom Bill's "Communications Decency" amendment

EFF "American Reporter v. Dept. of Justice (Shea v. Reno)" Archive

EFF "CRLP v. Dept. of Justice (Sanger v. Reno)" Archive

Ratings_filters/

link to directory of info on Net filtering and ratings schemes (as discussed or recommended by several bills and position statements related to the Comm Decency Act.)

Links to Related Off-Site Resources

ACLU WWW Site

EPIC's archive on legal challenges to the CDA case

HotWired Special Report on the Internet censorship battle (Dec. 12)

Web Design's "information lighthouse" on the Internet censorship debate

Audio of the Senate debate on Exon

(NOTE: Requires RealAudio sound player)

Steve Rhodes' Exon Page

EXONerate

Parody filtering software, replaces "profane" words with funny alternatives (e.g. the names of those who voted for the Communications Decency Act).

Harry Erwin's page of selections from technical literature

that would be illegal under the Comm. Decency Act. Erwin's position, probably correct, is that the CDA is a direct threat to academic and intellectual freedom and to education.

Slowdog's Communications Decency Act pages

Pathfinder Internet Censorship Legislation Page

(provides links to many items of interest on this issue.)

Paul Ste. Marie's Internet Censorship Legislation Archive

particularly geared for Ohio residents

Global Network Navigator Web Review pieces on Internet censorship legislation:

article and op-ed

"What's New in Activism Online"'s Stop Internet Censorship pages

FullMoon Multi-Media's Legal Issues & Policy Pages

(with info on the Internet censorship bills, etc.)

Newshare's Internet censorship opposition site

Newshare, American Reporter, a judge and a law firm are gearing up to challenge in court any Net censorship legislation that passes.