Q.  Are the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) liable under federal law for websites that depict pornography on their servers?

A. The Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Act of 1998 (Sexual Predators Act) requires that an ISP notify a designated law enforcement agency after learning that a website containing child pornography exists on its server. If the ISP willfully fails to report the website, the ISP can be fined. Generally, ISPs cooperate with law enforcement agencies and, upon notification, remove sites that include child pornography.

A. Contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): www.missingkids.com/cybertip/ or 1-800-843-5678. NCMEC is in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and state and local law enforcement in Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces and serves as the national CyberTipline and as the national Child Pornography Tipline.

A. Although the prevalence of obscenity is daunting, citizens can assist themselves and the government in fighting obscenity in several ways:

• Protect children online
  
  The Justice Department supports the development and use of appropriate tools to allow parents and children choice in what they view and not view online. A variety of commercially available software "filter" programs can be used to prevent access to World Wide Web sites containing pornographic or otherwise offensive content. In addition, the Administration has strongly encouraged the software industry and others in the online community to continue to develop content ratings systems, ratings-compatible Web browser programs, and other technical solutions. These methods promote individual choice and simplify the task of parents and others who wish to screen out offensive material. Some online resources for protecting your children:
   
  • FBI Parent's Guide to Internet Safety
  • National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, NetSmartz workshop
  • Guide to Internet safety by Enough is Enough (non-profit organization)
  
   
• Report obscenity
  
   
  • Online obscenity
    
    The nonprofit organization, Morality In Media, operates a website, which provides an online form that can be used to report obscenity encountered either on a website or in an e-mail. This form can also be used to report the use of a misleading domain name to trick Internet users to visit an obscene website.
    
     
  • Broadcast obscenity
    
    The Federal Communication Commission regulates both obscene and indecent programming broadcast over radio and television (including cable television). Citizens can report complaints about obscenity and indecency to the FCC directly: http://www.fcc.gov/eb/broadcast/obscind.html.
    
     
  • Obscenity sent through the United States Postal Service
    
    To stop delivery of unsolicited sexually oriented advertising in the U.S. Mail, you may contact your local post office, or for more information, click onto the U.S. Postal Inspection Service website at http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/