Web sites celebrate CDA decision

June 26, 1997
Web posted at: 2:31 p.m. EDT (1831 GMT)

From CNN Interactive Writer Wayne Drash

(CNN) -- It didn't take long for Internet free speech sites to hail the Supreme Court's decision Thursday to strike down the Communications Decency Act as a victory for the future of the information superhighway.

Minutes after the decision was announced, civil liberties groups flashed bulletins across their Web sites, linked to the text of the court's decision, and showed streaming video of post-decision news conferences.

It was as if advocates of First Amendment rights logged on for a worldwide Internet party.

"Victory in the Supreme Court!" read an icon on the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition home page.

The American Civil Liberties Union ran a similar flashing icon, followed by a full article about the justices' decision.

"High Court Affirms Free Speech on the Internet," the ACLU headline said.

There was no immediate reaction on the Web from groups supporting the CDA, such as the Christian Coalition, Morality in the Media, and The National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families.

The Supreme Court, in a landmark decision on Internet censorship, ruled unanimously that some provisions of the CDA are unconstitutional.

In delivering its decision, the court sided with earlier rulings barring enforcement of the 1996 legislation, which Congress passed without hearings as a last-minute addition to the sweeping Telecommunications Act.

At the Electronic Privacy Information Center, or epic.org, large bold text greeted users: "SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN COMMUNICATIONS DECENCY ACT." The site featured a link to a 1 p.m. cybercast of an ACLU news conference and offered users a chance to "celebrate the victory" by taking the "First Amendment Pledge."

Chat rooms and message boards were abuzz in First Amendment rights and CDA discussion.

"What is so appalling about this entire exercise is that the essential unconstitutionality of the CDA was clear from the start, yet overwhelming majorities of the House and Senate went along with it and the president signed it into law," wrote Dave St. Marie in CNN's message boards.

Others expressed disappointment in the high court's decision.

"Anyone who has surfed the Net for sexually graphic material knows the kind of stuff there is out there. Some of the sites are so graphic and bizarre that they are liable to offend the sensibilities of even the so-called adults," wrote Monty Sahay. "In my opinion, CDA is a must."

The CDA was crafted to protect society, especially children, from sexually graphic material transmitted through the Internet.