FBI Is Investigating Child Pornography E-Mail Ad

America Online said Tuesday that it’s cooperating with an FBI investigation into an e-mail message advertising child pornography received this week by thousands of Internet users around the world.

The message, apparently sent Sunday night from three AOL accounts, caused consternation across the global computer network as angry recipients speculated about its origins. Many contacted law enforcement agencies.

“Who’s sending this dreck and is it illegal?” asked one Internet user. Theories about the sender ranged from hackers to a government sting operation.

AOL assistant general counsel John Ryan said the company had determined that the three subscribers whose accounts the mail was sent from were not responsible.

“We’ve never had a mass mailing of this magnitude with this type of content and this type of message related to child pornography,” Ryan said.

FBI spokesman John Hoos said the agency’s Los Angeles bureau has received dozens of calls about the offensive e-mail.

The message, titled “Child Fun!,” began: “Hi! I sent you this letter because your e-mail address was on a list that fit this category,” and went on to describe its various offerings.

Children’s advocates have called for more regulation of the Internet, which they say makes it easier than ever to buy and sell pornography. And how to combat “spamming”--the practice of sending unsolicited junk e-mail--is the focus of electronic debate.

But civil liberties advocates said the mail, while offensive and annoying, still constitutes free speech.

“What’s illegal is selling pornography,” said Harvey Silverglate, a partner at law firm Silverglate & Goode in Boston. “The law is not about sending e-mail containing an offer. We should not make incursions in freedom of speech because some people are going to feel a little uncomfortable.”