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Muted voices in the legislative process: the role of scholarship in US Congressional efforts to protect children from internet pornography

Iowa State University, USA, blevins{at}iastate.edu

Fernando Anton

Iowa State University, USA, fanton{at}iastate.edu

This analysis brings a range of theoretical perspectives on the politics of the communications policy-making process to bear on US Congressional efforts to protect children from internet pornography. The examination of the Congressional information gathering hearings during the formulation of the Communications Decency Act, Child Online Protection Act and Children's internet Protection Act shows an excess reliance on anecdotal evidence and a lack of social scientific research in informing Congressional inquiries. The authors here argue that such incidental involvement of academic scholarship could be explained through the lenses of `symbolic politics' and `class power', which have important implications for communication scholars who wish to be more closely involved in the communication policy-making process during future debates.

Key Words: communication policy • internet pornography • internet regulation • Office of Technology Assessment • politics of policy-making

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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Blevins, J. L. Articles by Anton, F. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?