WASHINGTON - In a landmark case for the Internet, the US Supreme Court yesterday nullified a law that bans indecent materials on the computer network, saying it would have a "chilling effect" on free speech. The court, affirming a lower appellate decision, ruled 7-2, that the Communications Decency Act violates the US Constitution and has "many ambiguities" that make enforcement problematic.
A coalition of some 20 organisations, led by the American Civil Liberties Union, had filed suit, claiming the 1996 law infringes on rights of free speech under the First Amendment of the constitution. The law, backed by President Clinton and intended to protect minors from sexually explicit material in cyberspace, included penalties of up to two years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.