Courtroom Wired For Internet

A federal courtroom in Philadelphia is wired for Internet access in preparation for a three-judge panel’s hearing today on the constitutionality of a new law attempting to limit indecent material on the Internet.

The courtroom will have several computer monitors and has been equipped with a high-speed data transmission line by the local telephone company to give both sides the opportunity to call up whatever parts of the Internet they want to use to educate the court about the world-wide computer network.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups challenging the law are expected to demonstrate the kinds of software parents can use to block access to materials they do not want their children to see. They also said they want to show the sheer scope of the Internet to demonstrate how difficult it would be to regulate.

The new law attempts to impose restrictions on the Internet similar to those in broadcasting, a standard that challengers say would chill even non-pornographic speech on the Internet.