The public concern about parents' ability to control the messages the media are giving their children isn't limited to movies, music and video games. It's no coincidence that Congress has passed stronger protections for children's privacy and access online than for adults. In any case, the copyright laws college students with Napster are defying may have more to do with free speech than you think. Software like Napster and DeCSS that allow users to copy and trade music and video via the Internet strike at the heart of one of the biggest industries in the world. Supporters of these programs argue that the right to share information is essential to free speech.
Opponents say copying is nothing more than stealing.
Copyright and the First Amendment are already beginning to collide as companies try to protect their material, and it isn't clear where the line is between illegal pirating, innocent sharing and legitimate news coverage. Napster itself is fighting a court-ordered shutdown, but even more sophisticated programs are available. So far, neither public policy or public opinion is running on Internet time. Scott Bittle is executive editor of Public Agenda, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization devoted to public opinion and citizen education.