by Bill Fancher and Jody Brown
(AgapePress) – Planned Parenthood has joined in a lawsuit with the ACLU and the American Library Association, challenging the constitutionality of the Children's Internet Protection Act.
The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is due to take effect on April 20. It would require schools and libraries that get government funding for Internet access to install filters on computers to block pornographic websites. A lawsuit has been filed to try to block implementation of CIPA. The suit, filed last month by the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Library Association, has now been joined by the nation's largest and taxpayer-supported abortion-provider: Planned Parenthood.
Ed Szymkowiak is with the organization Stop Planned Parenthood International. He says he is not surprised at the action against the legislation, and suggests Planned Parenthood has entered the battle for one reason.
“Their own website [for teens] contains some very disgusting and graphic descriptions of deviant sexual behavior,” Szymkowiak says. “Any reliable filtering software would be blocking Planned Parenthood's site.”
Opponents of CIPA question the viability of filtering technology. In an open letter to American Library Association members at that time, ALA's Executive Director William Gordon stated that “filters don't work and are contrary to our mission of providing access to the broadest range of information for a community of diverse users.” ALA President Nancy Kranich echoed Gordon, saying “The federal government should not be subsidizing commercial filtering companies by forcing libraries to buy technology that doesn’t work.”
A large contingent of pro-family groups has taken a stand supporting implementation of the Children's Internet Protection Act.
(This update courtesy of Agape Press.)
