Ŀ
This is a big day.                                                           
                                                                             
Last week, I hinted that another major lawsuit would soon challenge the      
free speech restrictions contained within the Communications Decency Act.    
Now the story can be told.                                                   
                                                                             
Today in Philadelphia, a new suit will be filed by a broad coalition of      
Internet service providers, software manufacturers, media companies, and     
public-interest groups.  The suit seeks to have CDA thrown out as            
unconstitutional, and the unique characteristics of the Internet formally    
recognized.  The list of plaintiffs filing today is impressive.  Included    
are:                                                                         
                                                                             
America Online, the American Library Association, Compuserve Information     
Services, Microsoft Corporation, Microsoft Network, Netcom On-line           
Communications Services, the Newspaper Association of America, Prodigy       
Services Company, AND... Wired and HotWired.                                 
                                                                             
(This is a partial list.  Wired and HotWired's press release announcing our  
participation in the lawsuit follows below.)                                 
                                                                             
All of this begs an obvious question:  "Why bother filing a separate suit    
when things are going so well for the ACLU-led coalition?" I'll provide a    
few quick answers for now, with a promise of more detail in the days ahead.  
                                                                             
Basically, this new lawsuit is designed to represent the unique interests    
of  businesses, organizations, and users who rely on the Internet as a mode  
of communication.  Thus, in addition to arguing that the "indecency"         
restrictions contained within CDA are unconsitutional on their face, the     
new suit will *also* argue that the Internet is a  uniquely democratic       
medium with special characteristics that facilitate user empowement.  From   
the standpoint of First Amendment scrutiny, such considerations carry a lot  
of weight.                                                                   
                                                                             
One way we will demonstrate the uniqueness of the Net to the Court is by     
allowing *individual* Net users to join the lawsuit (via the World Wide      
Web) as members of an umbrella organization known as the "Citizens Internet  
Empowerment Coalition," CIEC  is a named plaintiff in the suit, so by        
joining the coalition, you will legally become a member of a plaintiff       
organization.  It's a pretty cool opportunity to participate in this         
milestone legal action.  For more information about how you can get          
involved, check in at: <http://www.cdt.org/ciec/>.   (Better hurry...        
registration will end on March 15.)                                          
                                                                             
A few more notes:                                                            
                                                                             
It's important to stress that this new lawsuit WILL NOT undercut or in any   
way diminish the value of the pending ACLU suit.  To the contrary, the two   
cases complement one another, and lawyers from both legal teams will remain  
in close contact.  Moreover, when the Supreme Court considers the legality   
of the CDA, it is very likely that both cases will be combined.              
                                                                             
Finally, because Wired and HotWired have joined the lawsuit as full          
plaintiffs, we'll have a front-row seat of the legal proceedings as they     
unfold.  Stay tuned to this channel for regular updates and background on    
the status of *ALL*  legal challenges to CDA as circumstances warrant.       
                                                                             
After all,  it's unlikely  that your local newspaper or TV station will      
devote one-tenth as much attention to these cases as they did to last        
year's  OJ Simpson spectacle.                                                
                                                                             
That's too bad...  because this case will have a much more direct and        
lasting impact on how you live your life                                     
                                                                             
Spread the word!                                                             
                                                                             
--Todd Lappin-->                                                             
Section Editor                                                               
WIRED Magazine                                                               
                                                                             
                                                                             
TAKING IT TO THE MEAT                                                        
Wired and HotWired challenge "indecency" provisions of the CDA.              
                                                                             
                                                                             
San Francisco, February 26, 1996                                             
                                                                             
Wired magazine and the HotWired web site today joined a milestone legal      
effort to preserve free speech in cyberspace.                                
                                                                             
In a challenge to the  "indecency" provisions contained within the           
telecommunications reform bill President Clinton signed into law on February 
8, HotWired and Wired joined as plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by the         
Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition today in Philadelphia.  These        
censorship provisions are contained within the reform bill known as the      
Communications Decency Act.                                                  
                                                                             
"HotWired publishes articles that appear solely on the Internet, and, as a   
publisher, is entitled to the same First Amendment protection as any         
newspaper or magazine in the United States," said HotWired CEO Andrew Anker. 
                                                                             
"The Communications Decency Act is a dangerous attack on constitutionally    
protected speech," said Louis Rossetto, CEO of Wired Ventures Ltd. "Wired    
magazine - whose content is completely legal and acceptable in print form -  
would be prevented from reproducing portions of the magazine online, or from 
offering an online forum for free-spirited debate about the stories we       
publish," he added.                                                          
                                                                             
Acting on behalf of several individuals, organizations, and companies that   
provide information via the Internet, lawyers representing the Washinton     
DC-based Center for Democracy and Technology appeared in federal court to    
file suit on behalf of plaintiffs in the case.                               
                                                                             
In addition to Wired and HotWired, additional plaintiffs in the Citizens     
Internet Empowerment Coalition include Microsoft, America Online, Prodigy,   
CompuServe, Netcom, the American Booksellers Association, the American       
Society of Newspaper Editors, and the Society of Professional Journalists.   
                                                                             
"We want to emphasize that the Internet is a crucial medium and forum that   
should not be subjected to the constraints imposed on TV and radio           
broadcasting," said Mike Traynor, legal counsel from the San Francisco firm  
of Cooley Godward who will be representing Wired Ventures Ltd. "This lawsuit 
represents the interests of Internet users, including content providers,     
access providers, and individual citizens."                                  
                                                                             
Wired and HotWired joined the suit through their legal operating entities    
Wired Ventures Ltd. and HotWired Ventures LLC. For more information, please  
contact Taara Eden Hoffman, publicity & promotions director at Wired         
(1-415-222-6212 or taara@wired.com), or Mike Traynor at Cooley Godward       
(1-415-693-2091).                                                            
                                                                             
###                                                                          
                                                                             

