Free speech advocates also say the Child Online Protection Act misses the mark today. They say it does not cover chat rooms, You Tube and other interactive sites that have emerged since 1996.
Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union say Internet filters block 95 percent of the offensive content and can be set to comport with a child's age or a parent's sensibilities.
But a Justice Department lawyer says only half of all families use such filters. He says the nation needs "a belt and suspenders approach" to the complex problem.
