Any questions can be submitted to:James WhitleyEMAIL JAMES980-344-0100
The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIP)
Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act
CIPA Definitions
— Obscene is defined as a highly subjective reference to material or acts which display or describe sexual activity in an obviously disgusting manner, appealing only to "prurient interest," with no legitimate artistic, literary or scientific purpose. Pictures, writings, film or public acts which are found to be obscene are not protected by the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment.
— The term “harmful to minors” means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that
a. taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;
b. depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and
c. taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.
— “Child pornography" means any visual depiction, including any photograph, film, video, picture, or computer or computer- generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical, or other means, of sexually explicit conduct, where
a. the production of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct;
b. such visual depiction is a digital image, computer image, or computer-generated image that is, or is indistinguishable from, that of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; or
c. such visual depiction has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in sexually explicit conduct.