Child Online Protection Act: The basics

* Signed into law in 1998.

* Makes it illegal for sites to knowingly make material deemed ''harmful
to minors,'' such as pornography, based on community standards,
available to anyone under 17. Penalties: up to $150,000 for each day of
violation and up to six months in prison.

* Requires sites to collect credit card information or ''Adult ID'' data
as proof of age.

* Challenged by ACLU, with American Booksellers Foundation, PlanetOut
Corp. and Salon magazine, among others, arguing that COPA goes too far
and violates the First Amendment by blocking material such as sexually
explicit poetry and gay and lesbian content.

* Congress, the administration and other groups, led by the National Law
Center for Children and Families, argue that the law merely protects
children, while allowing adults to see adult content once they provide
ID.

* Blocked in February 1999 by federal district court in Philadelphia;
ruling affirmed by appeals court in June 2000.

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