Children's Internet Protection Act

Citation: Children’s Internet Protection Act (Title XVII of the FY2001 Labor-HHS Appropriations Act, included in the FY2001 Consolidated Appropriations Act, P.L. 106-554).

The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires most schools and libraries that receive federal funding through Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Museum and Library Services Act, or “E-rate” subsidies from the universal service fund, to use technology protection measures (filtering software or other technologies) to block certain website]s when computers are being used by minors, and in some cases, by adults. When minors are using the computers, the technology protection measure must block access to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors. When others are using the computers, the technology must block visual depictions that are obscene or are child pornography. The technology protection measure may be disabled by authorized persons to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.

The U.S.Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the CIPA in 2003.