CHILD ONLINE PROTECTION ACT Meaning and
Definition
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The Child Online Protection Act (COPA) is a legislation enacted by the United States Congress in 1998 to protect and safeguard minors from potentially harmful and explicit material available on the internet. Its primary objective is to regulate the access and distribution of sexually explicit content to individuals under the age of 18. COPA focuses on preventing minors from accessing material that may be deemed harmful to their well-being, moral development, or psychological health.
Under COPA, website operators are required to implement age verification mechanisms to ensure that minors are not granted access to age-restricted content. These mechanisms may include asking users to provide credit card information, social security numbers, or other personal identification details to verify their age.
The Child Online Protection Act was subject to numerous legal challenges, with concerns regarding its impact on First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court of the United States, in 2004, struck down COPA as unconstitutional, arguing that less restrictive means could be utilized to achieve similar objectives without infringing on free speech rights.
Despite its legal challenges and ultimate unconstitutionality, COPA played a significant role in initiating discussions around the importance of protecting minors from explicit material on the internet. It brought attention to the need for comprehensive legislation, parental supervision, and the development of effective technological tools to ensure the online safety and wellbeing of children.
