Child Online Protection Act

The Child Online Protection Act (COPA) was a law enacted in 1998 to restrict minors' access to harmful or inappropriate content on the internet. It aimed to prevent children from viewing material deemed harmful, such as sexually explicit content, by requiring websites to verify visitors’ age or restrict access. COPA sought to balance protecting children with free speech rights but faced legal challenges over its restrictions. Although it was blocked by the courts and never fully enforced, COPA raised important discussions about online safety and responsibility for protecting young users.