he Supreme Court issued its first opinion dealing with the Internet last week, finding the Communi
cations Decency Act unconstitutional because it's overly vague.
The law, enacted in February 1996, made it a felony to make indecent material available to minors on the Net, with violators subject to up to two years in prison. A U.S. appeals court struck down the law last July in response to challenges from civil rights groups.
The majority opinion, written by Justice John Paul Stevens, said the law, intended to protect children from pornography on the Net, raised "special First Amendment concerns because of its obvious chilling effect on free speech."
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he Supreme Court issued its first opinion dealing with the Internet last week, finding the Communi
cations Decency Act unconstitutional because it's overly vague.
