ABA Family Legal Guide

Computer Law

Child Protection and the Internet

What is the legal situation regarding protecting young people who use the Internet?

Congress has taken steps over the past decade to protect children by outlawing the transmission of obscene, indecent, or offensive messages to anyone under age eighteen. Lawmakers have also denied federal funding to libraries that fail to install blocking software.

While the law clearly allows parents and caregivers to restrict Internet access to their children, the First Amendment right of free speech puts some constraints on the ability of Congress and public libraries to similarly safeguard children.