FC: Pennsylvania Internet providers must block illegal sex sites

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

[Next up: The politicos in Harrisburg require ISPs to manually filter all 
off-color Usenet posts. Actually, the current law could be read to require 
just that. --Declan]

---

From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>
To: "'Declan McCullagh'" <declan () well com>, <rms () computerbytesman com>
Subject: In Pennsylvania, ISPs now must block child pornography Web sites
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 21:16:11 -0500

Declan,

ISPs are going to have monitor Internet usage of their Pennsylvania
customers starting next month according to a new law that was just
passed by the General Assembly.  If a customer attempts to go to a Web
site which is known to distribute child pornography, then the ISP must
block access to the Web site.  Web sites are identified by the
Pennsylvania AG's office.

Since most ISPs today do not do any monitoring of Web traffic, it is
going to be difficult for many of them to implement the requirements of
this law.  ISPs who attempt to oppose this law will probably will be in
for some bad PR.

In addition, once content filtering is in place at ISPs, it can be used
to block any type of objectionable Web site.  Online casinos, for
example, seem like an obvious next step.

A copy of the law can be found here:

   http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/BT/2001/0/HB1333P3184.HTM

   REQUIRING INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS TO REMOVE
   OR DISABLE ACCESS TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SITES ON THE INTERNET.

An Associated Press article about the law can be found here:

   ISPs must block content from users
   Companies responsible for barring access to child porn
   http://www.msnbc.com/news/725968.asp

Richard M. Smith
http://www.ComputerBytesMan.com




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