Source: AP
By:
(CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA) — A federal judge has barred Virginia from enforcing a law intended to protect children from “harmful” Internet material.
The law makes it a crime to use the Internet to sell or otherwise provide sexually explicit pictures or written material to juveniles that could harm them.
U.S. District Judge J. Harry Michael Jr. ruled Tuesday that the law violates the First Amendment.
The nonprofit group People for the American Way and 16 Internet businesses had challenged the law, arguing that the companies had no practical way to prevent juveniles from seeing such material except to eliminate it altogether.
Elliot Mincberg, legal director of People for the American Way, said material including art and sex education information that would be proper for adults could fall victim to the law.
Attorney general’s spokesman David Botkins said Wednesday that Michael’s ruling was under review and no decision had been made on whether to appeal.
Aides to Gov. Jim Gilmore said they hadn’t seen the ruling and declined comment.
The law was passed in 1999 over Gilmore’s objection. No one has been charged under the law, which carries a maximum sentence of a year in jail and a $2,500 fine
