Commission on Online Child Protection

The Commission on Online Child Protection was established by the Child Online Protection Act (Pub. L. No. 105-277) to study technologies and methods to help reduce access by children to material on the Web that is harmful to minors. The Commission, composed of 16 industry members appointed by the Republican and Democratic congressional leaders plus one ex officio representative each from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Departments of Commerce and Justice, issued its report on October 20, 2000.

The report did not make recommendations for new legislation. It surveyed various technologies and other means by which children's access to certain materials on the Internet can be restricted, concluding that no single solution exists. Recommendations focused on the need for public education, consumer empowerment efforts, vigorous enforcement of existing laws, and voluntary industry actions.