Date: Fri, 17 May 2002 09:55:18 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <200205171355.JAA12530@mattababy.mit.edu>
From: belmonte@mit.edu (Matthew Belmonte)
To: CapuanoHR8@aol.com
Subject: oppose HR 4623

Dear Representative Capuano

As your constituent I urge you to oppose HR 4623, the `Child Obscenity and
Pornography Prevention Act.'  This bill contains a provision, not directly
related to its core purpose, that would make it easier for the government to
read private email without judicial review or notification.

Specifically, the bill would allow ISP's to disclose the content of private
communications if the government informally tells the ISP that a violation of
pornography laws `may have occurred or will occur,' and does not require that
the person whose communications are being disclosed be notified.  Even aside
from this curtailment of judicial review, the bill is a bad idea because it
covers computer-generated `virtual pornography,' which is produced without
using actors, and thus directly harms no one.

Again, I hope that you'll oppose HR 4623, or at least offer an amendment that
would remove its provisions for disclosure of private communications without
judicial review and notification.

Sincerely,
Matthew Belmonte