What is the Children’s Internet Protection Act?

Parents who have kids who make use of the Net have enough reasons to be concerned about their kids. The fact is, they need to take every crucial precaution. In spite of this, parents can only do so much since their jurisdiction is basically centered within their very own homes. This brings people to ask what about the Internet available to kids in schools and libraries? This is where the Child Internet Protection Act can help.

Children’s Internet Protection Act

If parents are wondering if their child possess protection on the web imposed by law then they should look into the details of CIPA. Basically, this law states that libraries and K-12 schools should use Net filters. Under this law, these institutions need to put to effect certain measures to provide kids internet safety. In exchange for such compliance, these aforementioned institutions will get federal funding.

History

This wasn’t the first bit of law that was intended to limit or regulate our children’s contact with improper material on the web. Unfortunately, the earlier efforts to limit a child’s contact with such explicit content are already struck down as unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court. Examples of such earlier laws that attempted to do the same job that CIPA does included the Children Online Protection Act and the Communications Decency Act. Both of these laws were identified unconstitutional and were therefore struck down.

The Children’s Internet Protection Act represented a better approach by law makers. It didn’t suffer the same errors as did the previous endeavors at providing a secure Online atmosphere in public areas where kids use the said resource. The application and use of Net filters along with other approach of technological security in exchange for grants and funding was the strategic move to conquer any legal hurdle that once became quite a challenge.

Challenges

Of course, not every positive thing comes without a challenge. Like the other laws on the same subject matter of Online safety for kids, there were challenges as to if CIPA was truly constitutional or not. The American Library Association voted to challenge this law on January 17, 2001. In a decision that spans about 200 pages, a three judge panel, CIPA was considered unconstitutional in 2002.

Nevertheless, after an appeal to the Supreme Court, the law was upheld as constitutional. However, a small difference was made – the blocking application should be disabled upon request of a grown-up. The Children’s Internet Protection Act was the first of the other laws in place today that can offer protection for our children online outside the walls of our homes.

The Children’s Internet Protection Act is among the laws that were approved in order to provide safer Internet for children. This law requires public institutions like libraries and K-12 schools to implement and employ an Internet filter for each and every computer on their jurisdiction in exchange for funding and grants. This law was challenged but was deemed constitutional by the US Supreme Court.