Senate OKs Two Bills to Curb Internet Porn

The U.S. Senate this week passed two proposals aimed at keeping children away from porn on the Internet. One would require schools and libraries that get federal money for Internet hookups to use software filters. The other would require Websites to keep from allowing children access to porn.\n Both measures were added to a $33 billion spending bill for the Commerce, Justice and State departments, which is still under debate in the Senate. And both measures have been criticized by civil libertarians.\n Sen. Dan Coats, an Indiana Republican, sponsored the bill to require Webmasters to devise a way to keep kids from porn. He said it was a carefully-worded and constitutional measure that would not run afoul of the Supreme Court, as did last year's Communications Decency Act.\n The filter amendment, introduced by John McCain, an Arizona Republican, and Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, would apply to all schools and libraries that benefit from the government's education rate program.\n Civil libertarians said Coats' bill was too broad. As written, they said, the standard of what is harmful to minors could include Websites operated by political groups or booksellers or foundations that give information about sex. Meanwhile, filters have been shown to block useful information and appropriate material, as well as pornography.\n Similar bills have not been passed in the House of Representatives. Consequently, the Senate amendments could be eliminated in a conference committee aimed at reconciling different versions of the spending bills.