The pact between the tobacco companies and state attorneys general presents a new challenge to free speech on the Internet, say some analysts.

• The tobacco pact -- though not yet having the force of law -- would ban depiction of people and cartoons in tobacco ads, allow only black on white text in ads children might see, and ban tobacco-related billboards and promotional items.

• These prohibitions would apply to tobacco advertising on the Internet "unless designed to be inaccessible in or from the United States."

• Free speech defenders warn that if the agreement becomes law, it would set a dangerous precedent for restricting all forms of online speech -- commercial and otherwise.

If Internet censorship creeps in under the guise of the anti-tobacco crusade, other countries could imitate these restrictions. Thus any company with a global commercial presence would have to limit its online presence to what is allowed by the most oppressive country it does business in.