Keeping students safe on the Internet Children's Internet
Protection Act
The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is a federal
law enacted by Congress to address concerns about access to
offensive content over the Internet on school and library computers.
CIPA imposes certain types of requirements on any school or
library that receives funding for Internet access or internal
connections from the E-Rate program – a program that makes certain
communications technology more affordable for eligible schools
and libraries. In early 2001, the FCC issued rules for CIPA
compliance. More recently, Congress enacted additional protections
for children using the Internet.
What CIPA Compliance Requires
- Schools and libraries subject to CIPA may not receive
the discounts offered by the E-Rate program unless they
certify that they have an Internet safety policy and technology
protection measures in place. An Internet safety policy
must include technology protection measures to block or
filter Internet access to pictures that are: (a) are obscene,
(b) child pornography, or (c) harmful to minors (for computers
that are accessed by minors).
- Schools and libraries must also certify that, as part
of their Internet safety policy, they are educating minors
about appropriate online behavior, including cyberbullying
awareness and response and interacting with other individuals
on social networking sites and in chat rooms.
- Schools subject to CIPA are required to adopt and enforce
a policy to monitor online activities of minors.
- Schools and libraries subject to CIPA are required to
adopt and implement a policy addressing: (a) access by minors
to inappropriate matter on the Internet; (b) the safety
and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat
rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications;
(c) unauthorized access, including so-called “hacking,”
and other unlawful activities by minors online; (d) unauthorized
disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information
regarding minors; and (e) restricting minors’ access to
materials harmful to them.
Schools and libraries are required to certify that they have
their safety policies and technology in place, showing CIPA
compliance, before receiving E-Rate funding.
- CIPA does not affect E-Rate funding for schools and
libraries receiving discounts only for telecommunications,
such as telephone service.
- An authorized person may disable the blocking or filtering
measure during any use by an adult to enable access for
bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
- CIPA does not require the tracking of Internet use by
minors or adults.
(Source:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/cipa.html)
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CIPA