[From Senator Leahy's Office]
 
For Immediate Release	April 10, 1995
 
Bill To Empower Users and Protect Free Speech On Interactive
Communications Systems
 
Senator Leahy today introduced a bill, S. 714, that takes an important
step to empower parents and users of interactive telecommunications
systems, such as the Internet, to control the material transmitted to
them over those systems. "The Child Protection, User Empowerment, and
Free Expression in Interactive Media Study" bill is cosponsored by
Senators Robert Kerrey (D-NE) and Herbert Kohl (D-WI).
 
The bill calls for a fast-track study by the Department of Justice, in
consultation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, on the legal and
technical issues for empowering users to control the information they
receive over electronic interactive services.
 
Senator Leahy said, "I disagree with pending bills in Congress that
would deal with obscenity on the Internet by censoring private online
communications, invading our privacy, and deputizing information
service providers as smut police. Before legislating to impose
heavy-handed regulation on the content of communications, I feel we
need more information from law enforcement and telecommunications
experts."
 
The information age has brought a revolution in telecommunications with
cheaper, easier to use and faster ways to communicate electronically
with people within our own homes and communities, and around the globe.
A byproduct of this technical revolution is that supervising our
children has taken on a new dimension of responsibility. Many people
have raised justifiable concerns about the accessibility of obscene and
indecent materials on-line and the ability of parents to monitor and
control the materials to which their children are exposed.
 
Senator Leahy said, "The problem of policing the Internet involves many
important issues. We need to protect privacy. We need to help parents
protect their children. And we need to protect copyrighted materials
from illegal copying. Instead of rushing to regulate the content of
information services, we should encourage the development of technology
that gives parents and other consumers the ability to control the
information that can be accessed over a modem."
 
Congress should have the benefit of the study called for in S. 714
before it legislates in ways that could severely damage the free flow
of information on electronic communications systems and sweep away
important constitutional rights.
 
[End]