Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 18:33:16 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAAD AND GLSEN DISTURBED BY SENATE LEGISLATION PROMOTING INTERNET CENSORSHIP MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jennifer H. Einhorn, GLAAD Director of Communications phone: (212) 807-1700 x14 e-mail: einhorn@glaad.org pager: (888) 656-9045 Kate Frankfurt, GLSEN Director of Advocacy Programming phone: (212) 727-0135 x108 e-mail: kfrankfurt@glsen.org GLAAD AND GLSEN DISTURBED BY SENATE LEGISLATION PROMOTING INTERNET CENSORSHIP "Who is it exactly that judges what is 'inappropriate' and 'harmful' for children? These amendments are as vague as the failed Communications Decency Act was, and they deceptively place trust in the imperfect product of filtering software." -Loren Javier, Interactive Media Director NEW YORK, NY, WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1998--The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) expressed profound disappointment with the United States Senate's passage of two provisions which may significantly impede public access to information on the Internet. The provisions directly affect two Congressional Acts. The "Internet School Filtering Act" (S. 1619) was introduced by Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and would require that, in order to be eligible for the "e-rate"--which provides Federal funding for Internet connections--schools and libraries would need first to be certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as having "selected a system for computers with Internet access to filter or block matter deemed to be inappropriate for minors." The so-called "CDA II" (S. 1482), named after the failed Communications Decency Act (CDA), was sponsored by Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind.) and would censor materials deemed "harmful to minors." While the appropriations bill was passed in the Senate, it still requires approval in the House of Representatives before it becomes law. Jennifer H. Einhorn, GLAAD Director of Communications said, "We urge the House to step back before voting on this bill, and examine its implications from a point of view they may otherwise not yet have explored. Being a teenager is an awkward and often isolating time. In a society in which the Senate Majority Leader equates millions of his fellow citizens with criminals and alcoholics, it is not surprising that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth experience that isolation to an even greater degree than their peers. It is crucial that these youth not be denied access to the Internet, which has an unparalleled ability to provide them with essential support and educational resources." "The passage of this bill effectively holds true education hostage by allowing students access to only a narrow and confining view of the vast world in which we live," said Kevin Jennings, Executive Director of GLSEN. "The McCain bill provides an imperfect and devastating solution to an issue that should have encouraged an open dialogue." GLAAD plans to continue its work educating both the public and government on this issue. In December of 1997, GLAAD released a comprehensive and groundbreaking report called Access Denied, which brought to the attention of the American public the impact of Internet filtering software on the lesbian, gay and progressive community. To order a copy, contact GLAAD at 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or visit the Access Denied Web site at: http://www.glaad.org/glaad/access_denied/index.html . GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay media advocacy organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of combating homophobia and all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. GLSEN is the largest national organization that brings together teachers, parents, students, and concerned citizens to work together to end homophobia in our schools. GLSEN strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org TO REPORT DEFAMATION IN THE MEDIA - Call GLAAD's Alertline at 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or go to the GLAAD Web Site at www.glaad.org and report through our Alertline Online. TO JOIN GLAAD AND RECEIVE GLAAD's DISPATCH AND QUARTERLY IMAGES MAGAZINE, call 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or join on the Web today at www.glaad.org/glaad/join/join-about.html TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLAAD-Net, GLAAD's electronic mailing list, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Subscribe GLAAD-Net" TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.