News

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 26, 2002 (LSN.ca) – The U.S. Congress once again passed anti-child pornography legislation yesterday, by 413 votes to 8, to circumvent a Supreme Court decision protecting computer simulations of children having sex as “freedom of speech.”  The move, led by Texas Republican Lamar Smith, the sponsor of the new bill, is an attempt to recover the initiative on “virtual child pornography,” after the Supreme Court on April 16 overturned parts of a 1996 law to ban computer-generated images of children having sex, or images of adults who are dressed or photographed to look like children. The previous law was declared unconstitutional because it allegedly violated First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and of the press.  The bill would ban a computer-generated image that “is, or is indistinguishable from that of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.” Rep. Smith said that by using the word, “indistinguishable,” crafters address the court’s concern that cartoon sketches and statues of children could be banned. Under the bill, defendants would have to prove the pornography did “not” involve real children in order to avoid conviction.  To read a full Washington Times report see:  https://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020626-62122.htm