Increasingly, children have access to computers over which their parents have no control-at schools, in neighbors' homes' their own homes, and in libraries. And there's certainly no guarantee that any of these computers will have filtering software-or, if they do, that it will be effective. Congress has tried for more than 10 years to place restrictions on the distribution of online pornography, but each attempt has been struck down in the courts. The Child Online Protection Act (COPA), passed in 1998 with FRC's help, would have done one simple thing-require commercial Internet pornographers to verify the age of their customers by adult-access codes or credit cards. Yesterday, the Supreme Court turned down an appeal of a ruling against the law, meaning that the 3rd Circuit's decision to nullify COPA will stand.

The lower court excused online pornographers from checking IDs because software filters are available for parents. But this ignores what the Supreme Court itself has previously recognized-that parents have the support of the law in discharging their responsibility. Moms and dads teach their children to say no to drugs, but the law also forbids drug sales to children. Parents warn children of the dangers of guns, but the law also throws gun dealers in jail if they sell to children. Parents tell kids to stay away from porn but the law also requires video and convenience store clerks to check IDs. COPA required no more of the porn industry than what our laws have always required-that they make reasonable efforts to ensure that children are not among their customers. Reported by Tony Perkins.

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