Rep. Rick White on White House censorware summit (fwd)

[Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 14:32:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
To: fight-censorship@vorlon.mit.edu
Subject: Rep. Rick White on White House censorware summit


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        CONTACT: Connie Correll
July 16, 1997               (202) 225-1201 (O)/ (202) 237-2136 (H)
							    e-mail: connie.correll@mail.house.gov

WHITE ATTENDS WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE
QUESTIONS GOVERNMENT SOLUTION

(Washington, D.C.)  --  Congressman Rick White (R-First District) today
made clear his desire to protect kids who use the Internet but expressed
concern that the federal government can solve the problem.  White's
remarks were made during his participation in a closed meeting at the
White House that focused on making the Internet family friendly.

"I have four children who love to use the Net and there is no question
we need to protect our kids from harmful material on the Internet.
Today's meeting was a step in the right direction," said White.  "But as
we evaluate the next step we need to make sure we don't lure ourselves
into a false sense of security.  No matter what we do in the United
States it won't affect sites developed in Amsterdam or Bangkok.  That's
why I'm skeptical that the federal government can solve this problem.
The real solution will come from the smart people in the private
sector."

White today praised representatives of the software community, the
Administration as well as family and civil liberty groups for their
efforts to develop a comprehensive solution for a family friendly
Internet.  He encouraged the development of filtering software but
expressed concern that a government based solution would be too
restrictive and regulatory. 

White has long been a leader in keeping the Internet free from federal
regulation.  As a member of the select committee that developed the
final telecommunications reform bill last year, White offered a
compromise proposal to the CDA that would protect kids. The compromise
included a proposal, defeated by one vote, to replace the "indecency"
standard with the "harmful to minors" standard. Other provisions of
White's compromise became part of the final bill. Those provisions
included: 1) developing strong, effective laws that target wrongdoers;
2) using parental empowerment software to screen material; and 3)
providing incentives for industry to develop new screening technologies.

In March of 1996 White formed the Congressional Internet Caucus (IC) to
help educate Members of Congress about the Internet. White believes
through the work of the Internet Caucus and with the help of the
Internet community, Capitol Hill has gained a better understanding of
the Internet.