The U. S. Congress, in an attempt at Internet control by fiat, was roundly criticized last week by People for the American Way. Its attempt to criminalize free speech on the Internet, predicted the free speech watchdogs, will be defeated in the courts.

"When it comes to applying the Bill of Rights to the Internet, Congress just hit the 'delete' key," said Carole Shields, People For the American Way President.

"But when the courts get through with this unconstitutional affront to free speech, we hope the message they will send to Congress is 'file not found.'"

Won't the U.S. Congress Ever Learn?

October 15 -- Congress signed off on a measure that will require commercial sites on the Internet to restrict access by children to material deemed "harmful to minors" or face criminal penalties up to a fine of $50,000 and six months in jail.

"The First Amendment applies not only to the right to free speech, free worship and free assembly -- it also guarantees the right to seek out information," said Shields.

"We all care about protecting our children. But it should be up to parents, not the conservatives in Congress, to monitor what our children read, see or hear. Conservatives say they believe in parental rights. But with the son of CDA, they have taken control away from families and given it to the federal government."

Shields predicted that civil liberties organizations like PFAW will move quickly to challenge the law in court, just as they did with the unconstitutional Communications Decency Act.

People For the American Way has been a longtime defender of freedom of speech on the Internet. The watchdog organization was among plaintiffs and co-counselors in the case that successfully overturned CDA, and it is currently is serving as co-counsel in a federal lawsuit challenging a Loudoun County, Virginia Library Board's Internet policy.