[19980716]98-328A_对未成年人访问互联网材料的限制.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS Web98-328 AUpdated July 16, 1998Restrictions on Minors Access to Materialon the InternetHenry CohenLegislative AttorneyAmerican Law DivisionSummaryOn March 12, 1998, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science andTransportation favorably reported two bills that would restrict material on the Internetdeemed harmful to minors. S. 1482 (S.Rept. 105-225) would require anyone “ininterstate or foreign commerce or through the World Wide Web,” who “is engaged inthe business of the commercial distribution of material that is harmful to minors,” to“restrict access to such material by persons under 17 years of age.” S. 1619 (S. Rept.105-226) would require elementary schools, secondary schools, and libraries that accept“universal services” under 47 U.S.C. 254(h)(1)(B) to install on their “computers withInternet access a system to filter or block matter deemed to be inappropriate for minors.”This report summarizes and discusses interpretational issues in these two bills andaddresses First Amendment issues that they raise.S. 1482: Summary and InterpretationS. 1482, 105 Congress, would require anyo