SSRC

Huelster explores the concept of “community standards,” which traditionally has held a very prominent position in the communications law and policy realm – particularly in relation to issues of obscenity and indecency. Localism, it should be emphasized, has been embraced as a policy principle in order to facilitate maximum sensitivity to community standards. In examining the unique challenges to defining and applying “community standards” in the on-line realm, the author advocates a national obscenity standard, as well as abolishing the obscenity exemption to First Amendment protection.