Concerned Women for America: Federal Court Rules Taxpayers Must Fund Smut In Public Libraries

5/31/2002

From: Rebecca L. Riggs, 202-488-7000, Ext. 126 or Kelly Walmsley, 703-683-5004, Ext. 140, both of Concerned Women for America Web site: www.media.cwfa.org

WASHINGTON, May 31 -- A three-judge panel for the federal district court in Philadelphia issued its ruling today holding that the Children's Internet Protection Act is unconstitutional on its face.

"Congress enacted the (CIPA) so that federal tax dollars wouldn't be used to turn libraries into dirty peep shows open to kids. Across America public libraries that provide unfiltered Internet access and rely on acceptable use policies are experiencing numerous incidents of patrons, including children, accessing hard-core and child pornography, adults exposing children to pornography, and patrons engaging in indecent exposure and sexual assaults," stated Jan LaRue, chief counsel at Concerned Women for America.

CIPA requires public schools (K-12th grade) and public libraries that accept certain federal subsidies for Internet access to use blocking technology on any of its computers with Internet access to protect against access by any user to visual depictions that are obscene or child pornography, and material harmful to minors when a minor is using a computer. It permits a library official to disable the technology during use by an adult for bona fide research or other lawful purpose.

LaRue filed an amicus brief in support of the CIPA, and is confident that the Supreme Court will reverse the lower court: "Congress has broad authority under its spending power. The CIPA is a reasonable regulation. It conforms to prior rulings in which the Court upheld congressional regulation of federal funds. If the federal government doesn't have to subsidize porn in a military PX, it shouldn't have to subsidize it in a public library. Porn has never been required in library stacks so why should it be required via library Internet access?" LaRue said.

A new study on teen Internet use by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that among all 15-24 year-olds: Two-thirds (67 percent) support requiring Internet filters at schools and libraries; two-thirds (65 percent) say being exposed to online porn could have a serious impact on those under 18; and a majority (59 percent) think seeing Internet pornography encourages young people to have sex. "Even kids get it - it makes you wonder who ought to be holding a gavel," LaRue added.

Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.