Communications Decency Act
     
         (CDA) An amendment to the U.S. 1996 Telecommunications
        Bill that went into effect on 08 February 1996, outraging
        thousands of Internet users who turned their web pages
        black in protest.  The law, originally proposed by Senator
        James Exon to protect children from obscenity on the Internet,
        ended up making it punishable by fines of up to $250,000 to
        post indecent language on the Internet anywhere that a minor
        could read it.
     
        The Electronic Frontier Foundation created public domain
        blue ribbon icons that many web authors downloaded and
        displayed on their web pages.
     
        On 12 June 1996, a three-judge panel in Philadelphia ruled the
        CDA unconstitutional and issued an injunction against the
        United States Justice Department forbidding them to enforce
        the "indecency" provisions of the law.  Internet users
        celebrated by displaying an animated "Free Speech" fireworks
        icon to their web pages, courtesy of the Voters
        Telecommunications Watch.  The Justice Department has
        appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
     
        (1996-11-03)