All of Congress’ proposals violate the First Amendment and privacy rights of adults to communicate freely in the online environment. Congress is making it ever more clear that we will have to turn to the courts to uphold free speech in the promising new medium of cyberspace.
Predictor: Steinhardt, Barry
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article for United Press International, the wire service, Linda Dailey Paulson, quotes Barry Steinhardt of the American Civil Liberties Union. Paulson writes: ”The normally faceless online community on Monday plans to demonstrate against pending legislation that would place limits on free speech in cyberspace … ‘All of Congress’ proposals violate the First Amendment and privacy rights of adults to communicate freely in the online environment,’ said Barry Steinhardt, ACLU associate director, in a statement issued shortly after the committee vote was announced. ‘Congress is making it ever more clear that we will have to turn to the courts to uphold free speech in the promising new medium of cyberspace.’ The ACLU said some of the groups that would join a suit if the bill passes include online political columnists, distributors of gay and lesbian resources, human rights groups, academic researchers of human sexuality, AIDS education groups, prisoner’s rights groups and student groups with controversial Web pages. These groups fear prosecution because they use online services to post, exchange or distribute material that could be deemed ‘indecent’ under the proposed law … The protest is scheduled for Monday noon in San Francisco’s South Park.”
Biography:Barry Steinhardt was director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s technology and liberty program, and he was an active speaker who was quoted often about the Internet in the 1990s. (Advocate/Voice of the People.)
Date of prediction: December 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Censorship/Free Speech
Name of publication: United Press International
Title, headline, chapter name: Cyberspace Community to Demonstrate
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Domestic News, BC Cycle
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Taylor, Kellen L.