The Child Obscenity and Pornography Act, introduced on April 30, 2002, by U.S. Representative Lamar Smith, R-TX, was meant to stop child pornography and obscenity trafficking, the solicitation of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and the use of child pornography and obscenity to carry out crimes against children. Furthermore, this Act was meant to make it illegal to produce, distribute, or own computer-made child pornography images that are indistinguishable from images of real children. Finally, this Act would expand the governmentÂ’s access to email without a court order.

On April 30, 2002, the Act was sent to the House Committee on the Judiciary, Crime subcommittee, and on May 9, 2002, the Act was forwarded to the full committee and amended by a voice vote. On October 2, 2002, the Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing. The last action occurred on March 11, 2003, when a Senate subcommittee hearing was held. This bill never became law.

See Also: Child Pornography.