All About The Internet: Legal Guide

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Guide to Internet Law

Legislation

Communications Privacy and Consumer Empowerment Act, H.R. 1964 (introduced June 19, 1997)	Would require Internet Access Providers to offer screening software to customers with children.
E-Rate Policy and Child Protection Act of 1998, H.R. 3442 (introduced Mar. 11, 1998)	Would require schools and libraries receiving universal service support for discounted telecommunications services to establish policies governing access to material that is inappropriate for children.
Family-Friendly Internet Access Act, H.R. 1180 (introduced March 20, 1997)	Would require Internet Service Providers to offer screening software to subscribers.
Internet Freedom and Child Protection Act, H.R. 774 (introduced Feb. 13, 1997)	Would require Internet Service Providers to offer screening software to subscribers.
Internet Protection Act, H.R. 2372 (introduced July 31, 1997)	Would restrict regulation of the Internet by state and federal governments.
Safe Schools Internet Act, H.R. 3177 (introduced Feb. 11, 1998), S. 1619 (introduced Feb. 9, 1998)	Would require schools to install systems to filter or block inappropriate Internet material on school computers.
Collections of Information Antipiracy Act, H.R. 2652 (introduced Oct. 9, 1997)	Would amend copyright law to create liability for extracting or using in commerce information gathered or maintained by another through investment of resources so as to cause harm.
Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. Sec. 101 et seq. (1976)	Contains all federal statutes regarding copyright law.
Digital Copyright Clarification and Technology Education Act, S. 1146 (introduced Sept. 3, 1997)	Would limit the liability of Internet Service Providers for copyright infringement, expand the fair use by teachers and librarians of copyrighted works, and amend federal copyright law to implement the 1996 WIPO Copyright Treaty.
Digital Era Copyright Enhancement Act, H.R. 3048 (introduced Nov. 11, 1997)	Would change copyright law to address fair use in the digital transmission context, affect enforcibility of shrinkwrap licenses, and protect copyright management information.
On-Line Copyright Liability Limitation Act, H.R. 2180 (introduced July 17, 1997)	Would exempt Internet Service Providers such as bulletin board operators from liability for copyright infringement.
On-Line Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act, H.R. 3209 (introduced Feb. 12, 1998)	Would limit liability of internet service provider based solely on the intermediate storage of material and protect the provider from claims based on the removal of material believed to be infringing.
Bill regarding pornography, S. 1482 (introduced Nov. 8, 1997)	Would prohibit online commercial distribution of pornographic material to minors under age 17.
Bill regarding sexual predators, S. 1356, H.R. 2791 (both introduced Oct. 31, 1997)	Would prohibit Internet Service Providers from providing services to sexually violent predators.
Child Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act of 1998, H.R. 3494 (introduced Mar. 18, 1998)	Criminalizes contacting a minor for sexual purposes or transferring obscene material including computer pornography to a minor.
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1030 (1986)	Prohibits computer fraud, including unauthorized use, access, and transmissions.
Identity Piracy Act of 1998, H.R. 3551 (introduced Mar. 25, 1998)	Would establish federal offense of identity theft and deceptive assumption.
Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, S. 474 (introduced March 19, 1997), H.R. 2380 (introduced Sept. 3, 1997)	Would criminalize placing or receiving bets or wagers on the Internet.
Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act, H.R. 2815 (introduced Nov. 5, 1997)	Would penalize using the Internet to target children under 16 years of age for sexually explicit messages or contacts.
Communications Decency Act, 47 U.S.C. Sec. 230 (1996)	Part of Telecom Act of 1996; protects Internet service providers from liability for defamatory messages posted by third party subscribers.
Data Privacy Act, H.R. 2368 (introduced July 31, 1997)	Would create Internet industry working group to establish voluntary guidelines regarding junk email.
Electronic Mailbox Protection Act, S. 875 (introduced June 11, 1997)	Would regulate spam and deceptive e-mails.
Netizens Protection Act, H.R. 1748 (introduced May 22, 1997)	Would prohibit junk e-mail and spam.
Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Mail Choice Act, S. 771 (introduced May 21, 1997)	Would require that sender of junk e-mail include term "advertisement" on subject line.
Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. Sec. 2778 (1997)	Original source of the government's export controls of encryption technology as defense articles, along with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130.
Digital Signature and Electronic Authentication Law (SEAL) of 1998, H.R. 3472 (introduced Mar. 17, 1998)	Would facilitate the use of digital signatures by financial institutions.
Encrypted Communications Privacy Act, S. 376 (introduced Feb. 27, 1997)	Would prohibit mandatory key escrow and release of decryption keys to government officials without a court order.
Promotion of Commerce On-Line in the Digital Era (Pro-CODE), S. 377 (introduced Feb. 27, 1997)	Would prohibit encryption export controls, mandatory key escrow, and individual licenses to export encryption technology.
Secure Public Networks Act, S. 909 (introduced June 16, 1997)	Would reduce export controls to 56-bit key length.
Security and Freedom through Encryption (SAFE) Act, H.R. 695 (introduced Feb. 12, 1997)	Would reduce export controls.
American Family Privacy Act, H.R. 1330 (introduced April 15, 1997)	Would prohibit federal officers and employees from providing online access to information from Social Security accounts, earnings and benefit statements, and tax returns.
Communications Privacy and Consumer Empowerment Act, H.R. 1964 (introduced June 19, 1997)	Would direct the Federal Trade Commission to protect privacy of consumers on the Internet.
Consumer Internet Privacy Protection Act, H.R. 98 (introduced Jan. 7, 1997)	Would prohibit interactive computer services from disclosing personal information about subscribers.
Data Privacy Act, H.R. 2368 (introduced July 31, 1997)	Would create Internet industry working group to establish voluntary guidelines regarding the commercial use of personal information.
Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. Secs. 2510-2711 (1988)	Prohibits interception and disclosure of wire and electronic communications.
Electronic Freedom of Information Act, P.L. 104-231 (1996)	Amends FOIA to require the government to provide information to the public in an electronic format if possible.
Federal Internet Privacy Protection Act, H.R. 1367 (introduced April 17, 1997)	Would prohibit federal agencies from releasing online any educational, financial, medical, or employment records of an individual.
Privacy Protection Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 2000aa (1980)	Prohibits government officers and employees from warrantless searches and seizures of public communications in absence of probable cause or emergency.
Social Security On-Line Privacy Protection Act, H.R. 1287 (introduced April 10, 1997)	Would prohibit interactive computer services from disclosing Social Security numbers and information protected by such numbers.
Internet Tax Freedom Act, S. 442, H.R. 1054 (both introduced March 13, 1997)	Would establish a national policy against state and local government interference with e-commerce, such as by taxation.
Tax-Free Internet Act, H.R. 995 (introduced March 6, 1997)	Would prohibit federal taxation of Internet service fees.
Safe Schools Internet Act, H.R. 3177 (introduced Feb. 11, 1998), S. 1619 (introduced Feb. 9, 1998)	Would require schools to install systems to filter or block inappropriate Internet material on school computers.
Telecommunications Act, P.L. 104-104 (1996)	Deregulated the telecommunications industry to foster competition; promotes universal service of telecommunications and the Internet to schools and libraries; includes the Communications Decency Act which prohibits sending obscene messages to minors on the Internet.
Telecommunications Trade Act, 19 U.S.C. Sec. 3101 (1988)	Promotes freer international trade in telecom products and services.
Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1051-1127 (1946)	Contains all federal statutes regarding trademark law.
Federal Trademark Dilution Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1125(c) (1995)	Protects famous marks from dilution even if no likelihood of confusion or competition exists.