Feature on Multnomah v. US - Challenge to Library Web Blocking Law

Supreme Court to Hear Web Blocking Case

ACLU Optimistic That Lower Court Victory Will Be Upheld

U.S. v. American Library Association, et. al.

The Supreme Court November 11 agreed to hear the government’s appeal of a ruling that the Children’s Internet Protection Act is unconstitutional. The law would require that any library receiving certain forms of federal aid install “Web blocking” programs that censor a wide range of valuable material for adults and minors. More…

CIPA challenge documents

General Materials

• Response to Government’s Jurisdictional Statement
• Government’s appeal to Supreme Court
• Trial court decision (May 31, 2002)
• Introduction to the Case
• Text of Children’s Internet Protection Act
• ACLU Cyber-Liberties Issue Page

Trial materials

• Plaintiffs
• Trial Schedule and Witness Biographies
• Courtroom Report
• Plaintiff’s joint post-trial documents
• ACLU Pretrial Brief
• Redacted final joint party stipulationsACLU Complaint in Multnomah County Public Library et al., vs. United States of America, et al.
• ACLU Response to Government’s Motion to Dismiss
• Expert Report: Study of Web Blocking Programs by Ben Edelman of Harvard University’s Berkman Center
• Expert Report: Prof. Joseph Janes of the University of Washington
• Expert Report: Library Consultant Anne G. Lipow

Examples of Wrongly Blocked Web Sites

• Evidence submitted at trial
• Consumer Reports Reviews Blocking Software Programs
• Find Out Who’s Been Censored at the Censorware Project

ACLU Special Reports

• Censorship In a Box: Why Blocking Software is Wrong for Public Libraries
• Fahrenheit 451.2: Is Cyberspace Burning?

Other Resources

• American Library Association page on CIPA challenge
• COPA Commission report (panel created by Congress that recommended against blocking programs)
• Government Report on the Digital Divide

News Releases

• 11-12-02 — ACLU Optimistic That Supreme Court Will Reject Law Mandating Internet Censorship in Libraries
• 05-31-02 — Federal Court Rejects Government Censorship in Libraries, Citing Free Speech Rights of Patrons
• 03-25-02 — Librarians Take the Stand in First Day of Trial on Government Censorship in Libraries
• 07-27-01 — House Committee Report on Pornography and File-Sharing Confirms ACLU Concerns With Blocking Software
• 05-17-01: ACLU Responds to Confusion Over Library Blocking Software Law; Seeks December Trial Date in Legal Challenge
• 04-19-01: Library Internet Access is Still Free from Censorship as Law Goes into Effect, ACLU Tells Libraries, Patrons
• 04-04-01: ACLU Tells Committee That New Internet Law Blocks Protected Speech and Should Itself Be Blocked
• 03-20-01 ACLU Files Challenge to Library Internet Censorship In Case Fast-Tracked for Supreme Court Review
• 03-07-01: In First-Ever Challenge, CA Court of Appeals Upholds Library’s Right to Provide Uncensored Internet Access
• 02-14-01: As ACLU Prepares Legal Challenge to Mandatory Internet Blocking, Consumer Reports Says Products Fail Test
• 01-19-01: ACLU Will Fight Government Plan to Censor Internet in Libraries
• 10-20-00:Citing New Government Report, ACLU Calls on Congress to Reject Internet Blocking Bill
• 05-20-99: ACLU Says Filtering Legislation Represents Little More Than Sugar Pill for Parents
• 06-17-98: New ACLU Report Condemns Mandatory Blocking Software in Public Libraries
• 04-07-98: Judge Sets Highest Legal Hurdle For Using Blocking Software in Libraries
• 03-12-98: ACLU Vows Fight As New Internet Censorship Bills Slither Through Senate
• 01-28-98: ACLU Hails Victory as California Library Agrees to Remove Internet Filters from Public Computers
• 01-28-98: Internet Funding Proposal Would Put Big Brother in Classroom

Plaintiffs’ Legal Team:

• Ann Beeson, Christopher A. Hansen, and Kevin Bankston of the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
• Stefan Presser of the ACLU of Pennsylvania Foundation
• David L. Sobel of the Electronic Privacy Information Center
• Lee Tien of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
• Chuck Sims, Frank Scibilia, Stefanie Krause and Andy Lee with the New York City law firm Proskauer Rose
• Tom Sponsler, Multnomah County Attorney

For more information about the ACLU’s efforts to stop censorship on the Internet, visit the Privacy and Technology issue page