IP: DOJ steps up child porn fight, plan regulates digital cameras

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

>Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2001 18:07:24 -0400
>From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
>
>
>http://www.cluebot.com/article.pl?sid=01/04/01/2155249
>
>DOJ STEPS UP CHILD PORNOGRAPHY FIGHT
>Proposal makes digital cameras "childsafe"
>
>April 1, 2001
>By Staff Writer
>
>    WASHINGTON -- Citing the explosive growth in child pornography and
>    obscenity, the U.S. Department of Justice aims to rein in the
>    fast-growing digital camera industry.
>
>    A DOJ project code-named "Indecent Images" plans to implant
>    technologies developed to automatically recognize hard-core Internet
>    sex images into the next generation of cameras. An II-compliant camera
>    will refuse to take illegal photographs or videos, and could even
>    quietly tip off law enforcement to illicit behavior.
>
>    On Friday, a DOJ spokeswoman confirmed the existence of the II
>    project, and said that the remarkable number of child pornographers
>    now using digital cameras on the Internet underground represents a new
>    challenge to law enforcement that Congress should carefully consider.
>
>    The spokeswoman declined to provide details, but one DOJ source said
>    the Office of Legislative Affairs has drafted legislation and plans to
>    send it to Capitol Hill next month. The Senate has previously voted to
>    condemn the menace of children and sex.
>
>    "One we'd prosecute child pornographers who take rolls of film to the
>    corner fot-o-mat for developing," said the source, who spoke on
>    condition of anonymity. "But now when everything's digital, we can no
>    longer protect America's children. We need a new First Amendment for
>    the digital age."
>
>    Child pornography appears to be a popular Internet hobby. An Altavista
>    search returns 25,999 pages found that "match your search criteria." A
>    Google search turns up far more child pornography: 425,000 hits.
>
>    A spokesman for President Bush said the White House supports the II
>    plan, which is consistent with the 2000 Republican Party platform that
>    urged strenuous activity involving "obscenity and child pornography."
>    Bush said last year that: "It's important for us to explain to our
>    nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's
>    life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the
>    Internet."
>
>    Critics said the II draft bill raises free speech concerns.
>
>    An ACLU spokeswoman said that the II proposal would unreasonably
>    restrict legitimate art and photography, and that the technology to
>    recognize images as child pornography or obscenity is far from
>    perfect. The ACLU and the American Library Association filed suit
>    earlier this month to overturn the Children's Internet Protection Act,
>    which encourages libraries to use filtering software -- some of which
>    uses II-type technology.
>
>    The bill would likely be sponsored in the Senate by Dianne Feinstein
>    (D-Calif.) and Judiciary chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and in the
>    House by Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.). Hatch and Feinstein co-sponsored the
>    1996 "morphed" child porn law that is currently the subject of a legal
>    challenge, and an aide said Feinstein viewed this as a logical
>    extension of using technology to thwart inappropriate views and
>    behavior.
>
>    The DOJ proposal requires the Federal Communications Commission --
>    which already regulates "indecent" broadcasts -- to police the digital
>    photo and video industry as well. Any manufacturer seeking a license
>    to sell such products in the U.S. after April 1, 2002 would have to
>    demonstrate that they were II-compatible to receive FCC approval under
>    agency rule 602P.
>
>    Nikon and Canon, which sell digital cameras, could not immediately be
>    reached for comment. Kodak faxed a statement to reporters over the
>    weekend that said: "We never have approved of the use of our products
>    to record intercourse, missionary position or otherwise, with
>    children, and we look forward to working with law enforcement to meet
>    their concerns."
>
>    The II technology plan, according to an outline provided by the DOJ
>    source, has two phases: II.1, which scans images using advanced neural
>    networks to recognize and delete illicit material.
>
>    II.2, which would not be mandated until April 1, 2003, is far more
>    high-tech. Some observers believe it will spur development of this
>    kind of advanced artificial intelligence, giving U.S. tech firms a
>    badly-needed boost given the recent stock market downturn.
>
>    The II draft says that "any variant" of digital still or video camera
>    must include a GPS device and a transmitter that is compatible with
>    U.S. pager networks. When a child pornographer takes an illegal photo,
>    the camera recognizes it and transmits an encrypted message containing
>    the image, the date, and the location to the local police -- who would
>    then raid the home and save the child from continued erotic
>    exploitation.
>
>    The Family Research Council, which estimates it has been involved in
>    helping police make 83.5 percent of arrests related to child
>    pornography, applauded the II approach. "It's about time Congress did
>    something hard-core on this issue," said FRC spokesman and author
>    Martin Rimm. "The Internet should be more than a place where children
>    can have sex with dogs."
>
>    The DOJ wants to encourage photo-video manufacturers to license
>    technology from companies such as Exotrope, a firm in New York state
>    that sells porn-recognition software. New York Governor George Pataki
>    has applauded Exotrope's "state-of-the-art technology and PC Magazine
>    gave it an "editor's choice" award.
>
>    The FRC's Rimm, who conducted a highly-publicized Carnegie Mellon
>    University study into how pornography is marketed on the information
>    superhighway -- an updated version will soon be published in
>    Georgetown University's law review -- says he hopes Congress will act
>    swiftly.
>
>    "My research shows 'paraphilic pornography' is on the rise," he said.
>    "Our research team has undertaken the first comprehensive study of
>    child pornography on the information superhighway, and let me tell
>    you: Perversion has gone digital, and we need to penetrate this
>    problem now."
>
>    Compiled from staff and wire reports
>
>###
>
>[Note the date on the above report. Caveat lector, and all that. --Declan]
>
>
>
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