Following a ten-year court battle, on 22 July the Third US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2007 lower court decision that the Child Online Protection Act is unconstitutional. The legislation would have forced websites featuring adult material to verify site users’ ages, but was ruled to be ‘substantially overbroad’ in its definition and in violation of the First Amendment. It was also ruled that the Act was not the most effective way to keep children from visiting adult websites; filtering or other methods adopted by parents were said to be more effective.
NEWS
Support free expression for all
At Index on Censorship, we believe everyone deserves the right to speak freely, challenge power and share ideas without fear. In a world where governments tighten control and algorithms distort the truth, defending those rights is more urgent than ever.
But free speech is not free. Instead we rely on readers like you to keep our journalism independent, our advocacy sharp and our support for writers, artists and dissidents strong.
If you believe in a future where voices aren’t silenced, help us protect it.
At Index on Censorship, we believe everyone deserves the right to speak freely, challenge power and share ideas without fear. In a world where governments tighten control and algorithms distort the truth, defending those rights is more urgent than ever.
But free speech is not free. Instead we rely on readers like you to keep our journalism independent, our advocacy sharp and our support for writers, artists and dissidents strong.
If you believe in a future where voices aren’t silenced, help us protect it.
At Index on Censorship, we believe everyone deserves the right to speak freely, challenge power and share ideas without fear. In a world where governments tighten control and algorithms distort the truth, defending those rights is more urgent than ever.
But free speech is not free. Instead we rely on readers like you to keep our journalism independent, our advocacy sharp and our support for writers, artists and dissidents strong.
If you believe in a future where voices aren’t silenced, help us protect it.
At Index on Censorship, we believe everyone deserves the right to speak freely, challenge power and share ideas without fear. In a world where governments tighten control and algorithms distort the truth, defending those rights is more urgent than ever.
But free speech is not free. Instead we rely on readers like you to keep our journalism independent, our advocacy sharp and our support for writers, artists and dissidents strong.
If you believe in a future where voices aren’t silenced, help us protect it.
At Index on Censorship, we believe everyone deserves the right to speak freely, challenge power and share ideas without fear. In a world where governments tighten control and algorithms distort the truth, defending those rights is more urgent than ever.
But free speech is not free. Instead we rely on readers like you to keep our journalism independent, our advocacy sharp and our support for writers, artists and dissidents strong.
If you believe in a future where voices aren’t silenced, help us protect it.
READ MORE
-
The week in free expression 3 October – 10 October
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
-
Banned Books Week: The author writing to stop history repeating itself
Rachel Seiffert is confronting her family's Nazi past to prevent the world making the same mistakes in the future
-
The week in free expression 26 September – 3 October
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
-
Jimmy Kimmel: No laughing matter
From the USA to India leaders can't take a joke. Comedians are paying the price