When did CIPA actually come into effect in libraries and schools?
After overcoming a series of legal challenges that were ultimately decided by the Supreme Court, CIPA came into effect in full force in 2003, though 96 percent of public schools were already in compliance with CIPA in 2001. When the Court upheld the constitutionality of CIPA, the legal challenge by public libraries centered on the way the statute was written.24 The Court’s decision states that the wording of the law does not place unconstitutional limitations on free speech in public libraries. To continue receiving federal dollars directly or indirectly through certain federal programs, public libraries and schools were required to install filtering technologies on all computers. While the case decided by the Supreme Court focused on public libraries, the decision virtually precludes public schools from making the same or related challenges.25 Before that case was decided, however, most schools had already adopted filters to comply with CIPA. As a result of CIPA, a public library or p
