ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 21, 1997 TAG: 9704210096
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
Here's what the 6th District congressman would like the cyberspace to be like:
No indecency
He played a key role in writing the controversial law that made "indecency" rather than a more lenient threshold the standard for material on the Internet.
He contends it makes the Internet conform to the standards of any other public space, such as a street corner, and thus safer for children.
X-rated materials could be posted if they were encrypted for viewing only by those who buy an encryption key.
"The Communications Decency Act says if you privately have something where you have to have a password or credit card or something to get access to the website, or access to the chat room, you can do that . . . The 'decency' standard only applies to what I would call the public area where a child, with three clicks, can be at the Playboy website and have access to the whole thing without any restrictions."
What critics say:
The ban on "indecent" material erodes the First Amendment protection of free speech and restricts material that isn't necessarily pornographic; the Supreme Court will decide in a landmark case this summer.
Lots of content
He's moderated negotiations between online services and "content providers" such as movie studios and recording companies to work out copyright problems. So far, no agreement, but he's hopeful.
He sponsored new law that toughens penalties for those who counterfeit software, which he hopes will give "content providers" more confidence in making material available on-line.
Says his encryption bill will allow "content providers" to make material available without fear of losing control.
"If you want to really have something to market, whether you're Bell Atlantic or The Roanoke times or America Online, you want to get Walt Disney offering these materials on there. You want to get the top 10 rock music videos and recordings on there. And they're not on there right now."
The main obstacle:
A lack of trust between online services and content provides over who will ultimately control the material.
Safe for commerce
He sponsored new law that toughens penalties on computer hackers.
Says his encryption bill will give consumers confidence that they can order products on-line without fear that their credit card numbers will fall into the wrong hands.
Says the rise of Internet commerce will be a boon to rural areas and small cities such as Roanoke, because geography won't be a deterrent.
"The Internet has grown pretty rapidly in the amount of financial transactions taking place on it; it doubled last year. But that's still only maybe a billion dollars in transactions. If people feel secure in putting their credit card on it, it's going to explode."
The other side:
Law enforcement and intelligence agencies warn that encryption will make it harder to monitor and catch spies, child pornographers and organized criminals who use the Internet.
LENGTH: Medium: 71 linesby CNB