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WP: Gingrich Wants to Narrow Bill's "Indecent" Definition
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David Smith
Dec 10, 1995, 3:00:00 AM12/10/95
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>Date: Sat, 9 Dec 1995 11:02:16 -0500 (EST)
>From: "Declan B. McCullagh" <dec...@CMU.EDU>
>To: Fight Censorship Mailing List <fight-ce...@andrew.cmu.edu>
>Subject: WP: Gingrich Wants to Narrow Bill's "Indecent" Definition
>
>The Washington Post
>December 9, 1995
>
>Gingrich Wants To Narrow On-Line Bill
>
>
>
> By Elizabeth Corcoran
> Washington Post Staff Writer
>
>
> House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and a colleague are trying to
> narrow the scope of legislation that would make it illegal to make
> "indecent" material available to children over on-line computer
> networks, aides said.
>
> Earlier this week, House lawmakers working on final provisions of the
> bill adopted a comparatively broad definition of what would be
> illegal, rejecting a narrower test known as the "harmful to minors"
> standard. Gingrich and Rep. Rick A. White (R-Wash.) now hope to get
> the definition of "indecency" closer to the rejected standard, which
> White contends is accepted in 48 states as the benchmark for
> prosecuting those who publish sexually explicit material.
>
> Civil liberties groups say the indecency standard is overly broad and
> could lead to a curtailment of freedom of speech. Many feel more
> comfortable with the harmful to minors standard. But religious
> conservatives and anti-pornography groups say the harmful to minors
> standard is not tough enough.
>
> A staff member in Gingrich's office said Gingrich considers the issue
> very important. Earlier this year, Gingrich expressed concern that the
> indecency standard, as first proposed in a Senate amendment sponsored
> by Sen. J. James Exon (D-Neb.), could infringe on free speech rights.
>
> Aides say Gingrich in particular hopes to write into law a definition
> of indecency that would exempt from prosecution material considered to
> have cultural, literary or scientific merit.
>
> Civil liberty groups also are trying to rally opponents of the
> indecency standard. "We're declaring Tuesday to be a national day of
> protest from the Internet," said Jonah Seiger, an analyst at the
> Center for Democracy and Technology, a group that opposes the
> standard.
>
> Staff writer Mike Mills contributed to this report.
>
>
>
>
>
>--
><HTML><A HREF="http://www.eff.org/~mech/"> Stanton McCandlish
></A><HR><A HREF="mailto:me...@eff.org"> me...@eff.org
></A><P><A HREF="http://www.eff.org/"> Electronic Frontier Foundation
></A><P><A HREF="http://www.eff.org/A/"> Online Activist </A></HTML>
>
David Smith * "We truly believe that even though we live in an
evil
bla...@bga.com * world, if you can stand up with a stronger
will, then you
President, EFF-Austin * can't be beaten down. This is the true spirit
of the
Board of Directors, CTCLU * EFF-Austin member" -- John Woo
>From: "Declan B. McCullagh" <dec...@CMU.EDU>
>To: Fight Censorship Mailing List <fight-ce...@andrew.cmu.edu>
>Subject: WP: Gingrich Wants to Narrow Bill's "Indecent" Definition
>
>The Washington Post
>December 9, 1995
>
>Gingrich Wants To Narrow On-Line Bill
>
>
>
> By Elizabeth Corcoran
> Washington Post Staff Writer
>
>
> House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and a colleague are trying to
> narrow the scope of legislation that would make it illegal to make
> "indecent" material available to children over on-line computer
> networks, aides said.
>
> Earlier this week, House lawmakers working on final provisions of the
> bill adopted a comparatively broad definition of what would be
> illegal, rejecting a narrower test known as the "harmful to minors"
> standard. Gingrich and Rep. Rick A. White (R-Wash.) now hope to get
> the definition of "indecency" closer to the rejected standard, which
> White contends is accepted in 48 states as the benchmark for
> prosecuting those who publish sexually explicit material.
>
> Civil liberties groups say the indecency standard is overly broad and
> could lead to a curtailment of freedom of speech. Many feel more
> comfortable with the harmful to minors standard. But religious
> conservatives and anti-pornography groups say the harmful to minors
> standard is not tough enough.
>
> A staff member in Gingrich's office said Gingrich considers the issue
> very important. Earlier this year, Gingrich expressed concern that the
> indecency standard, as first proposed in a Senate amendment sponsored
> by Sen. J. James Exon (D-Neb.), could infringe on free speech rights.
>
> Aides say Gingrich in particular hopes to write into law a definition
> of indecency that would exempt from prosecution material considered to
> have cultural, literary or scientific merit.
>
> Civil liberty groups also are trying to rally opponents of the
> indecency standard. "We're declaring Tuesday to be a national day of
> protest from the Internet," said Jonah Seiger, an analyst at the
> Center for Democracy and Technology, a group that opposes the
> standard.
>
> Staff writer Mike Mills contributed to this report.
>
>
>
>
>
>--
><HTML><A HREF="http://www.eff.org/~mech/"> Stanton McCandlish
></A><HR><A HREF="mailto:me...@eff.org"> me...@eff.org
></A><P><A HREF="http://www.eff.org/"> Electronic Frontier Foundation
></A><P><A HREF="http://www.eff.org/A/"> Online Activist </A></HTML>
>
David Smith * "We truly believe that even though we live in an
evil
bla...@bga.com * world, if you can stand up with a stronger
will, then you
President, EFF-Austin * can't be beaten down. This is the true spirit
of the
Board of Directors, CTCLU * EFF-Austin member" -- John Woo
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