HR 1120 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require recipients of universal service support for schools and libraries to protect minors from commercial social networking websites and chat rooms.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

February 16, 2007

Mr. KIRK (for himself, Mr. MATHESON, Mrs. BIGGERT, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. ROGERS of Michigan, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. FOSSELLA, Mr. KUHL of New York, Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. GERLACH, and Mr. ROSKAM) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require recipients of universal service support for schools and libraries to protect minors from commercial social networking websites and chat rooms.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Deleting Online Predators Act of 2007'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) sexual predators approach minors on the Internet using chat rooms and social networking websites, and, according to the United States Attorney General, one in five children has been approached sexually on the Internet;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) sexual predators can use these chat rooms and websites to locate, learn about, befriend, and eventually prey on children by engaging them in sexually explicit conversations, asking for photographs, and attempting to lure children into a face to face meeting; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) with the explosive growth of trendy chat rooms and social networking websites, it is becoming more and more difficult to monitor and protect minors from those with devious intentions, particularly when children are away from parental supervision.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. CERTIFICATIONS TO INCLUDE PROTECTIONS AGAINST COMMERCIAL SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES AND CHAT ROOMS.

(a) Certification by Schools- Section 254(h)(5)(B) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(h)(5)(B)) is amended by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(i) is enforcing a policy of Internet safety for minors that includes monitoring the online activities of minors and the operation of a technology protection measure with respect to any of its computers with Internet access that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(I) protects against access through such computers to visual depictions that are--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

`(aa) obscene;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

`(bb) child pornography; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

`(cc) harmful to minors; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

`(II) protects against access to a commercial social networking website or chat room unless used for an educational purpose with adult supervision; and'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Certification by Libraries- Section 254(h)(6)(B) of such Act (47 U.S.C. 254(h)(6)(B)) is amended by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(i) is enforcing a policy of Internet safety that includes the operation of a technology protection measure with respect to any of its computers with Internet access that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(I) protects against access through such computers to visual depictions that are--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

`(aa) obscene;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

`(bb) child pornography; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

`(cc) harmful to minors; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

`(II) protects against access by minors without parental authorization to a commercial social networking website or chat room, and informs parents that sexual predators can use these websites and chat rooms to prey on children; and'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Definitions- Section 254(h)(7) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(J) COMMERCIAL SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES; CHAT ROOMS- Within 120 days after the date of enactment of the Deleting Online Predators Act of 2007, the Commission shall by rule define the terms `social networking website' and `chat room' for purposes of this subsection. In determining the definition of a social networking website, the Commission shall take into consideration the extent to which a website--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(i) is offered by a commercial entity;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(ii) permits registered users to create an on-line profile that includes detailed personal information;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(iii) permits registered users to create an on-line journal and share such a journal with other users;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(iv) elicits highly-personalized information from users; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





`(v) enables communication among users.'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Disabling During Adult or Educational Use- Section 254(h)(5)(D) of such Act is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) by inserting `OR EDUCATIONAL' after `DURING ADULT' in the heading; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by inserting before the period at the end the following: `or during use by an adult or by minors with adult supervision to enable access for educational purposes pursuant to subparagraph (B)(i)(II)'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. FTC CONSUMER ALERT ON INTERNET DANGERS TO CHILDREN.

(a) Information Regarding Child Predators and the Internet- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) issue a consumer alert regarding the potential dangers to children of Internet child predators, including the potential danger of commercial social networking websites and chat rooms through which personal information about child users of such websites may be accessed by child predators; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) establish a website to serve as a resource for information for parents, teachers and school administrators, and others regarding the potential dangers posed by the use of the Internet by children, including information about commercial social networking websites and chat rooms through which personal information about child users of such websites may be accessed by child predators.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Commercial Social Networking Websites- For purposes of the requirements under subsection (a), the terms `commercial social networking website' and `chat room' have the meanings given such terms pursuant to section 254(h)(7)(J) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(h)(7)(J)), as amended by this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink