Legal Definitions - COPA

COPA stands for the Child Online Protection Act.

This was a United States federal law enacted in 1998, intended to restrict access by minors to material deemed "harmful to minors" on the internet. The Act aimed to prevent commercial websites from making such content available to individuals under 17 years of age. However, COPA faced significant legal challenges based on First Amendment concerns regarding freedom of speech and was ultimately enjoined (prevented from being enforced) by the courts.

• Example 1: Content Provider's Dilemma

  Imagine a website that publishes digital comics and graphic novels, some of which contain mature themes, strong language, and suggestive imagery. If the Child Online Protection Act had been fully enforced, this website might have been legally obligated to implement robust age verification systems, such as requiring credit card information or digital certificates, to ensure that only adults could access the potentially "harmful to minors" content. Failure to do so could have resulted in significant penalties under COPA.

• Example 2: Technology Platform's Compliance Review

  A new social media platform is being developed, designed to host user-generated content including videos, images, and text. In a scenario where COPA was actively enforced, the platform's legal team would need to conduct a thorough review of its content moderation policies and user interface. They would assess whether any type of content that could be uploaded by users might fall under COPA's definition of "harmful to minors" and would have to design features, like mandatory age-gating or advanced content filtering, specifically to comply with the Act's requirements for protecting children.

• Example 3: Policy Debate on Internet Safety

  During a public policy discussion about online safety for children, a child advocacy group might reference the historical intent behind the Child Online Protection Act. Even though COPA was not ultimately enforced, the group could use its original goals to argue for new legislation or industry self-regulation that aims to protect minors from inappropriate online content, highlighting the ongoing societal concern that COPA initially sought to address.