Advocacy/Laws/Law Enforcement

EIE continues to advocate for strong public policy to better ensure children and families are safer on the internet.

Federal Legislation
Congressional Hearings
Advocacy and Laws
State Laws and Regulations

EIE Federal-Led Legislation

 

Communications Decency Act (CDA) - 1996

EIE played a key educational role to Congress by testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the need for legislation to protect children from pornography and predators on the Internet. Effectively communicated the message that materials and activities already outlawed in every other avenue of delivery should not be accessible to children on the Internet. The CDA included the child-stalking provision, which is the law used to prosecute online sexual predators. The federal obscenity statutes were also extended to apply to the Internet.


The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) - 2000

The U.S. Supreme Court, in June of 2003, reversed a lower court decision and upheld CIPA. CIPA requires public libraries that receive government E-rate funding for Internet access to utilize filtering technology to block a minor child’s access to pornography and obscenity. In 1998, EIE staff briefed Senator John McCain and other members of Congress on the early problems of child access to pornography in public libraries and schools. EIE also served as a key catalyst in the effort to get CIPA passed and upheld. In 2000, Congress passed CIPA; it was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, upon which the ACLU and the ALA filed lawsuits, and the law was enjoined for three years. The Supreme Court decision is a landmark victory in child Internet safety protection and a law that EIE was instrumental in getting passed and supported throughout the years.

CIPA - Downloadable PDF


The Child Online Protection Act (COPA) - 1998

COPA passed in 1998 with the leadership and support of EIE staff, which included numerous briefings and advocacy efforts in the House and Senate. COPA mandated that commercial web pornographers based in the U.S. require adult verification before allowing access by minor children to free pornographic content. The law, however, never took effect, as three separate rounds of litigation led to a permanent injunction against the law in 2009.

Donna Rice Hughes served for a year on the congressionally appointed COPA Commission and the EIE team rigorously defended COPA at a press conferences on the steps of the Supreme Court, and continued to support COPA in the news media and in public debates while awaiting the outcome a long ten-year court battle. During COPA's 10 year enjoinment, 9 in 10 children online continued to be exposed to free pornographic pictures. On July 22, 2008, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the 2007 decision. On January 21, 2009, the United States Supreme Court refused to hear appeals of the lower court decision, effectively shutting down the law signed by President Clinton, a bi-partisan Congress and signed into law.

To learn more, click here.

(COPA Report to Congress - Downloadable PDF)


Child Pornography Prevention Act (CPPA) - 1996

EIE leadership testified before the U.S. Senate in support of CPPA. Once passed, the law was enjoined due to a lawsuit filed by the Free Speech Coalition. Since 1996, EIE has educated the public as to the need for this key legislation that criminalizes 'virtually' created child pornography. In April 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down CPPA.


Dot Kids Domain Name Act of 2001

EIE leadership testified before Congress in support of the bill, in addition to working extensively with the House of Representatives in the writing of the legislation. The Dot Kids Domain Name Act was signed into law on December 4, 2002. EIE continues to provide expertise on the implementation of this new domain designed to give children a safe Internet haven.

Congressional Hearings and Testimonies Given by EIE Staff

 

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

Washington, D.C. October 15, 2003
Provided written testimony on the prosecution of illegal pornography


Congressional Internet Caucus

Washington, D.C. May 23, 2002
Panel discussion titled "Controlling Online Pornography: Options for Parents and Families."


Congressional Hearing

The Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC, November 1, 2001 "The Dot Kids Domain Name Act of 2001" (page 26)


Senate Hearing

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families
Washington, DC, March 28, 2000

Speech: "Keeping Children Safe from Internet Predators"


U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on 'Cyberporn'
Testimony from July 24, 1995 (page 111)

Senate Judiciary Committee North Dakota State Legislature
"Solving a Public Health Crisis: The Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children."

Oral Testimony from February 14, 2023
Written Testimony from February 14, 2023

House Judiciary Committee North Dakota State Legislature
Oral Testimony from March 14, 2023
Written Testimony from March  14, 2023

Advocacy and Laws

 

Legislative Victories:

Report Act (S. 474) - 2024

President Biden signed into law the bipartisan Revising Existing Procedures on Reporting via Technology (REPORT) Act, authored by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Jon Ossof (D-GA). This legislation will require Big Tech companies such as Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram to report crimes against children involving sex trafficking, grooming, or the enticement of children for sexual acts to the CyberTipline. (May 27, 2024)

Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act - 2018

The March 2018 passage of FOSTA allows victims of sex trafficking and prosecutors to finally have the legal tools they need to go after websites that knowingly facilitate sex trafficking and that have historically served as ’online brothels’ of advertisements for traffickers and pimps.

Legislative Efforts Advocated for by EIE

Click here to view list

Progress in the Movement to Protect Children Online

Click here to view list

State Laws and Regulations

 

States With Revenge Porn Laws

C.A. Goldberg, PLLC

States Resolutions Declaring Pornography a Public Health Crisis

National Decency Coalition

State Cyberbullying Laws

StopBullying.gov

Sexting Laws and Regulations

Cyberbullying Research Center