In the landmark decision of 'A.C.L.U. v. Reno' (1997) 138 L. Ed. 2d 874, the United States Supreme Court held unconstitutional key provisions of the Communications Decency Act, which attempted to protect minors from potentially harmful and indecent materials on the Internet. The ruling marks the court's first decision (and is the first judgment of a supreme court worldwide) on the Internet and is a serious setback to American legislators in their attempts to thwart the dissemination of offensive and indecent material via the Internet.