Policing the 'Net's red light district; efforts to combat obscenity imperil online providers
Article Abstract:
Congress has enacted the Communications Decency Act of 1996 to combat pornography in any computerized form. The law targets particularly those who would make pornography accessible to children. Online service providers and Internet access providers could be jeopardized because by offering access to services with particular content they do more than giving access to systems outside of their control. The law could negatively impact freedom of speech and its constitutionality has already been questioned. If the law survives, it will be difficult for controversial viewpoints to be offered online.
Publication Name: The National Law Journal
Subject: Law
ISSN: 0162-7325
Year: 1996
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
A recent decision holding an online service provider liable for defamation could have far-reaching effects for operators who want to maintain content control
Article Abstract:
The decision in Stratton Oakmont v Prodigy Services against the latter shows that the question of what constitutes editorial control of online information remains unanswered. Bulletin board and online services should, in response, clarify their own editorial policies and align all activities and announcements with those policies. Such services generally proclaim themselves distributors, not publishers, of subscribers' comments, but Prodigy had a policy of strictly monitoring the comments and keeping tight editorial control.
Publication Name: The National Law Journal
Subject: Law
ISSN: 0162-7325
Year: 1995
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Web-site agreements do not wrap up IP rights
Article Abstract:
Many commercial sites on the World Wide Web part of the Internet use a form of the so-called shrink wrap agreement known as the Web-wrap, but these license agreements may prove unenforceable. Though the agreements are usually available through a hot link from the home page, few are sufficiently prominent or require an affirmative response by the reader. Draft changes to the Uniform Commercial Code may address some problems, but until the Web develops accepted standard contracts, conspicuous placement is vital.
Publication Name: The National Law Journal
Subject: Law
ISSN: 0162-7325
Year: 1995
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Tobacco papers rolled up: university cuts off access to documents after Brown & Williamson protests. Tobacco 'secret' in S.F. library: Brown & Williamson has sued to protect files that are publicly available in a medical school collection
- Abstracts: Legal marketing on the Information Superhighway; how to attract new business online without attracting controversy
- Abstracts: A 'country' lawyer for McVeigh: Stephen Jones no rebel, yet no stranger to controversy. Record EPA prosecutions; but polluters more likely to get civil, rather than criminal, sanctions
- Abstracts: Been there, done that. Tight integration. Pentium emulation on a Mac
- Abstracts: With many courts expanding the responsibilities of attorneys to non-clients, both law firms and their insurers are likely to face increased financial exposure