The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is recommending that the definition of "technology protection measure" in the Children's Internet Protection Act be widened to include more than blocking and filtering technologies.
In a CIPA-mandated study, the U.S. Commerce Department's NTIA said that an expanded definition would "encompass a vast array" of technological measures that protect children. NTIA suggested that the language of the law be changed to read: "The term 'technology protection measure' means a specific technology that prevents Internet access to visual depictions" that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors.
As an alternative, NTIA recommended that the FCC and the U.S. DoE provide further guidance to E-rate recipients and others on their interpretation of CIPA, whose constitutionality regarding online filtering was recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. The NTIA report also outlined what it considers "best practices" in implementing Internet safety policies.
The full report is available at: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/ntiageneral/cipa2003/CIPAreport_08142003.htm
