Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires schools and libraries to certify that they are enforcing a policy of Internet safety that includes measures to block or filter content for both minors and adults to certain visual depictions.

In order to fully comply with CIPA requirements, recipients of E-Rate discounts must be enforcing an Internet Safety Policy which includes a Technology Protection Measure (see below). The district must have provided reasonable public notice and have held at least one public hearing to address the proposed Internet Safety Policy. For schools, the policy must also include monitoring the online activities of minors (although schools are not required to track Internet use by any identifiable individual). Compliance with this law is a local responsibility; districts will not be required to submit this policy as a part of the technology plan to the e-Plan system.

Internet Safety Policy: An Internet Safety Policy must address the following issues:

• access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World Wide Web;
• the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications;
• unauthorized access, including so-called “hacking,” and other unlawful activities by minors online;
• unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors; and
• measures designed to restrict minors’ access to materials harmful to minors.

Technology Protection Measure: A Technology Protection Measure is a specific technology that blocks or filters Internet access. It must protect against access by adults and minors to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or — with respect to use of computers with Internet access by minors — harmful to minors. It may be disabled for adults engaged in bona fide research or other lawful purposes.