American Civil Liberties Union

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Privacy Technology : Internet Free Speech : Press Releases

ACLU Optimistic That Supreme Court Will Reject Law Mandating Internet Censorship in Libraries (11/12/2002)
The American Civil Liberties Union said today that it was optimistic about its challenge to a library Internet censorship law after the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case.

ACLU Defends Internet Free Speech in Three Courts Coast to Coast (11/01/2002)
NEW YORK-The American Civil Liberties Union fought censorship of the Internet from coast to coast this week, taking action in three separate courtrooms to make sure that free speech on the Internet does not get trampled.

Students, Educators and Activists Speak Out Against Federally Mandated Blocking Software in Schools (09/18/2002)
NEW YORK -- Students, parents, educators and free speech advocates across the country spoke out today against the federal mandate for Internet blocking software on school computers that went into effect at the beginning of this school year.

In Legal First, ACLU Sues Over New Copyright Law: Says Blocking Program Lists Should Be Revealed (07/25/2002)
NEW YORK-In the first challenge of its kind, the American Civil Liberties Union today asked a federal court in Massachusetts to rule that a computer researcher has First Amendment and ""fair use"" rights to examine the full list of sites contained in an Internet blocking program and to share his research tools and results with others. 

ACLU Warns of Threat to Online Free Speech From Cable Monopolies (07/10/2002)
WASHINGTON- The American Civil Liberties Union today called on the government to protect the Internet from the power of monopolistic cable providers and issued twin reports examining the technical and policy sides of the issue.

Federal Court Rejects Government Censorship in Libraries, Citing Free Speech Rights of Patrons (05/31/2002)
In yet another blow to the government's repeated attempts to censor the Internet, a federal court today decisively rejected a law that forces libraries to deny adults as well as minors access to constitutionally protected speech online in order to receive federal funding.

Maintaining Ban on Internet Censorship Law, Supreme Court Asks Lower Court to Revisit Ruling (05/13/2002)
NEW YORK--The American Civil Liberties Union today said it was pleased with a Supreme Court decision maintaining a ban on a law that criminalizes constitutionally protected speech on the Internet.

In Two Internet Free Speech Cases Reaching Appeals Courts, ACLU Sees Disturbing Censorship Trend (05/06/2002)
NEW YORK--Continuing its strong advocacy of online free speech, the American Civil Liberties Union today filed friend-of-the-court briefs in two novel cases on appeal. The first brief opposes a U.S. corporation's attempt to silence a local consumer critic; the second opposes a foreign government's judgment against Yahoo for allowing hate speech on its U.S.-based system. 

Librarians Take the Stand in First Day of Trial on Government Censorship in Libraries (03/25/2002)
At issue is the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), a federal law passed in December 2000 that ties crucial library funding to the mandated use of blocking programs on Internet terminals used by both adults and minors in public libraries.

In Supreme Court Argument this Wednesday, ACLU to Once Again Battle Internet Censorship Law (11/26/2001)
In oral arguments this week, the American Civil Liberties Union will return to the United States Supreme Court to urge the Justices to once again reject a law criminalizing constitutionally protected speech on the Internet. 

ACLU Files Brief in Second Supreme Court Battle Over Internet Censorship (11/20/2001)
In a legal brief filed today, the American Civil Liberties Union asked the Supreme Court to reject Congress' second attempt to censor free speech on the Internet, saying that flaws in the law are identical to the problems that led all nine Justices to void a similar law in a landmark 1997 ruling.

In Novel Case, U.S. Court Says "Non, Merci" to French Government's Attempt to Censor Yahoo! Content (11/08/2001)
SAN FRANCISCO--The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed a landmark court ruling that affirms the First Amendment's reach in cyberspace and makes clear that this American constitutional freedom is beyond the reach of foreign governments to control. 

Continued Battle Over Internet Censorship (09/20/2001)
ACLU files a brief in second Supreme Court battle over Internet censorship saying that flaws in the law are identical to previous problems in online censorship rulings.

Statement of Ann Beeson Regarding the Supreme Court's Review of Ashcroft v. ACLU (09/20/2001)
Ashcroft v. ACLU (00-1293) is a First Amendment challenge to the Child Online Protection Act ("COPA"), Congress' second attempt to impose severe criminal and civil sanctions on the display of protected, non-obscene speech on the Internet. COPA targets speech on the World Wide Web that is harmful to minors according to "contemporary community standards." The first attempt to restrict protected speech on the Internet -- the Communications Decency Act ("CDA") -- was declared unconstitutional by all nine justices of the Supreme Court in Reno v. ACLU ("ACLU I").

House Committee Report on Pornography and File-Sharing Confirms ACLU Concerns With Net Blocking Software (07/27/2001)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union pointed to a House Committee report released today on the availability of pornography on Internet file-sharing software as confirmation of its concerns that the unreliability of blocking software can lead to infringements on free speech. 

Federal Court OKs ACLU Challenge to Library Internet Censorship Law; Trial Set for February 2002 (07/26/2001)
PHILADELPHIA--Rejecting the government's attempt to dismiss a challenge to a law that forces libraries to censor constitutionally protected speech online, a federal court here said today that a trial can go forward as planned on February 14, 2002. 

ACLU in Court Today for First Hearing on Challenge to Internet Censorship in Public Libraries (07/23/2001)
PHILADELPHIA--A federal court here will hear arguments for the first time today on the constitutionality of a law that forces libraries to censor constitutionally protected speech online. 

ACLU Ready for Second Supreme Court Battle Over Internet Censorship Law (05/21/2001)
The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed Supreme Court review of Congress' second attempt to censor free speech on the Internet, saying that constitutional flaws in the law are identical to the problems that led all nine Justices to void a similar law in a landmark 1997 ruling.

ACLU Responds to Confusion Over Library Blocking Software Law; Seeks December Trial Date in Legal Challenge (05/17/2001)
Seeking to end confusion over when libraries must decide whether to install Internet blocking programs under a new federal law, the American Civil Liberties Union, which is challenging the law, today issued an explanation of libraries' legal obligations.

Library Internet Access is Still Free from Censorship as Law Goes into Effect, ACLU Tells Libraries, Patrons (04/19/2001)
NEW YORK--A federal law requiring libraries to censor constitutionally protected speech online goes into effect tomorrow, but librarians aren't yet obligated to install the required blocking software -- and if the American Civil Liberties Union has anything to say about it, they won't ever have to. 

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