EFF "Censorship - Internet Censorship Legislation - Illinois" Archive

Files in this Archive

il_sb747_95.act: Senate Bill 838, signed into law July 1995, raises many questions regarding several aspects of this legislation, such as system operator liability, and minors masquerading as adults. The statute may also conflict with other state's laws. While the bill's intent seems lofty, and it will probably protect a handful of children from some rather noxious sexual advances, the wisdom of trying to handle this problem at fifty different state levels, is questionable. The ACLU finds it to be unconstitutionally vague and overbroad in several ways, and has warned that it could be used by religious extremist prosectors to go after disseminators of sex education materials. The real danger here is that theocratic organizations, smelling an easy victory, may introduce follow-on legislation next session to restrict indecency and other constitutionally protected speech online. Be on the lookout.
il_sb747_95_aclu.analysis: ACLU attacks SB747, an over-broad waste of time and effort that in the end holds system operators liable for the actions of users over whom they have no control.

Foreign_and_local/IL