The Internet and other computer networks hold enormous promise for enhancing our lives in ways that would have been unthinkable only a brief decade ago. But the growth of this network will no doubt be chilled if users fear that they risk criminal liability by using particular words that might, in some jurisdictions, be considered “indecent.” Or, if service providers simply refuse to provide Internet access to children under 18 years of age, due to the risk of criminal liability.
Predictor: Leahy, Patrick
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 congressional press release, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) says: ”As part of the telecommunications bill, the Senate passed the Exon-Coats ‘Communications Decency Act,’ which would punish with two-year jail terms any Internet user who posted a message with indecent language or used a four-letter word in a message to a minor. Service providers would also risk criminal liability and fines … ”We should not underestimate the effect that the heavy hand of government regulation will have on the future growth of the Internet. The legislation has not even passed, and we are seeing that just the threat of it is already having a chilling effect on the Internet … Make no mistake, we already have crimes on the books that apply to the Internet, by banning obscenity, child pornography and threats from being distributed over computers … [Under the proposed CDA] an unimaginable amount of valuable political, artistic, scientific and other speech will disappear … Many providers will seek to avoid the risk of litigation altogether by censoring all online speech to that appropriate for kindergarten children, or refusing to serve children at all. These extreme proposals on the table in the telecommunications conference would leave online communications in a severely disadvantaged position in our society. While Newsweek magazine’s recent cover story trumpeted the vision of the computer mogul Bill Gates, the U.S. Congress is simultaneously poised to shut down this new medium and vastly change the landscape of the ‘information age.’ We must stop being paternalistic duties and embrace our new communications potential … The Internet and other computer networks hold enormous promise for enhancing our lives in ways that would have been unthinkable only a brief decade ago. But the growth of this network will no doubt be chilled if users fear that they risk criminal liability by using particular words that might, in some jurisdictions, be considered ‘indecent.’ Or, if service providers simply refuse to provide Internet access to children under 18 years of age, due to the risk of criminal liability.”
Biography:Patrick Leahy was a U.S. Senate member who played an important role in Congressional discussions of the Internet in the 1990s. (Legislator/Politician/Lawyer.)
Date of prediction: December 5, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Censorship/Free Speech
Name of publication: Congressional Press Releases
Title, headline, chapter name: Proposals for Regulating Speech on the Internet
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=5d15882f4ffc75728b8dd01a9419ad2f&_docnum=1&wchp=dGLbVzz-lSlzV&_md5=599a3e992c021306e900de2fda604901
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Little, Brandi W.