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evince
07-28-2006, 12:06 PM
Chat rooms could face expulsion
The House overwhelmingly OKs a bill that could shut MySpace, Amazon and other Web giants out of schools and libraries.
By Declan McCullagh
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Published: July 27, 2006, 3:27 PM PDT
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Web sites like Amazon.com and MySpace.com may soon be inaccessible for many people using public terminals at American schools and libraries, thanks to the U.S. House of Representatives.

By a 410-15 vote on Thursday, politicians approved a bill that would effectively require that "chat rooms" and "social networking sites" be rendered inaccessible to minors, an age group that includes some of the Internet's most ardent users. Adults can ask for permission to access the sites.

High ImpactWhat's new:
The House has overwhelmingly approved a bill that could shut MySpace, Amazon.com and other Web giants out of schools and libraries.

Bottom line:
Even though politicians apparently meant to restrict access to MySpace, the definition of off-limits Web sites is so broad the bill would probably sweep in thousands of commercial Web sites. Tech lobbying groups and libraries are protesting the measure.

"Social networking sites such as MySpace and chat rooms have allowed sexual predators to sneak into homes and solicit kids," said Rep. Ted Poe, a Texas Republican and co-founder of the Congressional Victim's Rights Caucus. "This bill requires schools and libraries to establish (important) protections."

Even though politicians apparently meant to restrict access to MySpace, the definition of off-limits Web sites is so broad the bill would probably sweep in thousands of commercial Web sites that allow people to post profiles, include personal information and allow "communication among users." Details will be left up to the Federal Communications Commission.

The list could include Slashdot, which permits public profiles; Amazon, which allows author profiles and personal lists; and blogs like RedState.com that show public profiles. In addition, many media companies, such as News.com publisher CNET Networks, permit users to create profiles of favorite games and music.

"While targeted at MySpace, the effects are far more wide-ranging than that, including sites like LinkedIn," said Mark Blafkin, a representative of the Association for Competitive Technology, which counts small- to medium-size technology companies as members. "Nearly any news site now permits these types of behaviors that the bill covers."

House Republicans have enlisted the Deleting Online Predators Act, or DOPA, as part of a poll-driven effort to address topics that they view as important to suburban voters in advance of November's elections. Republican pollster John McLaughlin surveyed 22 suburban districts and presented his research at a retreat earlier this year. DOPA was part of the result.

Defining off-limits sites
DOPA does not define "chat rooms" or "social networking sites" and leaves that up to the Federal Communications Commission. It does offer the FCC some guidance on defining social networking sites (though not chat rooms):

"In determining the definition of a social networking Web site, the Commission shall take into consideration the extent to which a Web site--

(i) is offered by a commercial entity;

(ii) permits registered users to create an online profile that includes detailed personal information;

(iii) permits registered users to create an online journal and share such a journal with other users;

(iv) elicits highly personalized information from users; and

(v) enables communication among users."


"Social networking sites, best known by the popular examples of MySpace, Friendster and Facebook, have literally exploded in popularity in just a few short years," said Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican and one of DOPA's original sponsors. Now, he added, those Web sites "have become a haven for online sexual predators who have made these corners of the Web their own virtual hunting ground."

Fitzpatrick's re-election campaign is one reason why the Republican leadership, which is worried about retaining their slender House majority, arranged a vote on DOPA. Fitzpatrick, who represents a politically moderate district outside of Philadelphia, has found himself in a tight race against challenger Patrick Murphy, an Iraq War veteran and prosecutor.

Technology lobbying groups, which were taken by surprise by this week's speedy approval of DOPA in the House, are now scrambling to throw up roadblocks to the measure in the Senate. Some expect that the Senate leadership will hold a vote as early as next week. (Libraries also oppose the measure.)

"This bill is well-intentioned, but it is highly overbroad and would create big obstacles to accessing sites that pose no risk to children," said Jim Halpert, a partner at law firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, who is the general counsel for the Internet Commerce Coalition.

In a statement earlier this month, a representative of MySpace--now owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.--stressed that the company has taken steps this year to assuage concerns among parents and politicians. It has assigned some 100 employees, about one-third of its work force, to deal with security and customer care, and hired Hemanshu (Hemu) Nigam, a former Justice Department prosecutor, as its chief security officer.
DOPA has changed since an earlier version dated May 9. The version approved by the House does not define "chat rooms" and gives more leeway to the FCC in devising a category of verboten Web sites.

Both versions apply only to schools and libraries that accept federal funding, which the American Library Association estimates covers at least two-thirds of libraries. By slapping additional regulations on "e-rate" federal funding, DOPA effectively expands an earlier law called the Children's Internet Protection Act, which requires libraries to filter sexually explicit material and which the Supreme Court upheld as constitutional in 2003.

Opponents of DOPA said during the debate that it was rushed through the political process--it was, they said, rewritten on Wednesday night and had not even been approved by a congressional committee.

"So now we are on the floor with a piece of legislation poorly thought out, with an abundance of surprises, which carries with it that curious smell of partisanship and panic, but which is not going to address the problems," said Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat. "This is a piece of legislation which is going to be notorious for its ineffectiveness and, of course, for its political benefits to some of the members hereabout."

OrnotBitwise
07-28-2006, 12:10 PM
Yet more dumbass, unenforcible, make the dimwits feel good legislation. What a crock. It should have been titled the Defense of Political Excess act, or DOPE.

LadyT
07-28-2006, 12:13 PM
they don't have anything better to do.........LIKE SECURE THE FVCKING PORTS AND BORDERS???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

toby
07-28-2006, 12:14 PM
If the schools did their job it wouldn't be necessary.

charver
07-28-2006, 12:27 PM
Careful Tobes, if this law comes in you'll have to prove you're an adult and that could prove tremendously challenging.

toby
07-28-2006, 12:42 PM
No Charver, I am not posting from a public school. Do you ever read the posts?

toby
07-28-2006, 12:43 PM
Charver the very first line of the article is>>>>>Web sites like Amazon.com and MySpace.com may soon be inaccessible for many people using public terminals at American schools and libraries, thanks to the U.S. House of Representatives.

toby
07-28-2006, 12:46 PM
I see no reason why a child in school needs to access a chatroom. Shouldn't they be doing school work?

charver
07-28-2006, 12:46 PM
Sorry, Tobes. I've always pictured you hunched over the computer at the local library. I do apologise.

toby
07-28-2006, 12:51 PM
No problem Charver. At least you admit when you are wrong.

Bulletbob
11-14-2021, 03:16 PM
Chat rooms could face expulsion
The House overwhelmingly OKs a bill that could shut MySpace, Amazon and other Web giants out of schools and libraries.
By Declan McCullagh
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Published: July 27, 2006, 3:27 PM PDT
TalkBack E-mail Print del.icio.us Digg this
Web sites like Amazon.com and MySpace.com may soon be inaccessible for many people using public terminals at American schools and libraries, thanks to the U.S. House of Representatives.

By a 410-15 vote on Thursday, politicians approved a bill that would effectively require that "chat rooms" and "social networking sites" be rendered inaccessible to minors, an age group that includes some of the Internet's most ardent users. Adults can ask for permission to access the sites.

High ImpactWhat's new:
The House has overwhelmingly approved a bill that could shut MySpace, Amazon.com and other Web giants out of schools and libraries.

Bottom line:
Even though politicians apparently meant to restrict access to MySpace, the definition of off-limits Web sites is so broad the bill would probably sweep in thousands of commercial Web sites. Tech lobbying groups and libraries are protesting the measure.

"Social networking sites such as MySpace and chat rooms have allowed sexual predators to sneak into homes and solicit kids," said Rep. Ted Poe, a Texas Republican and co-founder of the Congressional Victim's Rights Caucus. "This bill requires schools and libraries to establish (important) protections."

Even though politicians apparently meant to restrict access to MySpace, the definition of off-limits Web sites is so broad the bill would probably sweep in thousands of commercial Web sites that allow people to post profiles, include personal information and allow "communication among users." Details will be left up to the Federal Communications Commission.

The list could include Slashdot, which permits public profiles; Amazon, which allows author profiles and personal lists; and blogs like RedState.com that show public profiles. In addition, many media companies, such as News.com publisher CNET Networks, permit users to create profiles of favorite games and music.

"While targeted at MySpace, the effects are far more wide-ranging than that, including sites like LinkedIn," said Mark Blafkin, a representative of the Association for Competitive Technology, which counts small- to medium-size technology companies as members. "Nearly any news site now permits these types of behaviors that the bill covers."

House Republicans have enlisted the Deleting Online Predators Act, or DOPA, as part of a poll-driven effort to address topics that they view as important to suburban voters in advance of November's elections. Republican pollster John McLaughlin surveyed 22 suburban districts and presented his research at a retreat earlier this year. DOPA was part of the result.

Defining off-limits sites
DOPA does not define "chat rooms" or "social networking sites" and leaves that up to the Federal Communications Commission. It does offer the FCC some guidance on defining social networking sites (though not chat rooms):

"In determining the definition of a social networking Web site, the Commission shall take into consideration the extent to which a Web site--

(i) is offered by a commercial entity;

(ii) permits registered users to create an online profile that includes detailed personal information;

(iii) permits registered users to create an online journal and share such a journal with other users;

(iv) elicits highly personalized information from users; and

(v) enables communication among users."


"Social networking sites, best known by the popular examples of MySpace, Friendster and Facebook, have literally exploded in popularity in just a few short years," said Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican and one of DOPA's original sponsors. Now, he added, those Web sites "have become a haven for online sexual predators who have made these corners of the Web their own virtual hunting ground."

Fitzpatrick's re-election campaign is one reason why the Republican leadership, which is worried about retaining their slender House majority, arranged a vote on DOPA. Fitzpatrick, who represents a politically moderate district outside of Philadelphia, has found himself in a tight race against challenger Patrick Murphy, an Iraq War veteran and prosecutor.

Technology lobbying groups, which were taken by surprise by this week's speedy approval of DOPA in the House, are now scrambling to throw up roadblocks to the measure in the Senate. Some expect that the Senate leadership will hold a vote as early as next week. (Libraries also oppose the measure.)

"This bill is well-intentioned, but it is highly overbroad and would create big obstacles to accessing sites that pose no risk to children," said Jim Halpert, a partner at law firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, who is the general counsel for the Internet Commerce Coalition.

In a statement earlier this month, a representative of MySpace--now owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.--stressed that the company has taken steps this year to assuage concerns among parents and politicians. It has assigned some 100 employees, about one-third of its work force, to deal with security and customer care, and hired Hemanshu (Hemu) Nigam, a former Justice Department prosecutor, as its chief security officer.
DOPA has changed since an earlier version dated May 9. The version approved by the House does not define "chat rooms" and gives more leeway to the FCC in devising a category of verboten Web sites.

Both versions apply only to schools and libraries that accept federal funding, which the American Library Association estimates covers at least two-thirds of libraries. By slapping additional regulations on "e-rate" federal funding, DOPA effectively expands an earlier law called the Children's Internet Protection Act, which requires libraries to filter sexually explicit material and which the Supreme Court upheld as constitutional in 2003.

Opponents of DOPA said during the debate that it was rushed through the political process--it was, they said, rewritten on Wednesday night and had not even been approved by a congressional committee.

"So now we are on the floor with a piece of legislation poorly thought out, with an abundance of surprises, which carries with it that curious smell of partisanship and panic, but which is not going to address the problems," said Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat. "This is a piece of legislation which is going to be notorious for its ineffectiveness and, of course, for its political benefits to some of the members hereabout."

What will you do with no one to turn into the fbi ?I guess you will just have to keep sending them dna samples you take with your lips of toilet seats and urinals.

evince
11-14-2021, 04:06 PM
BB brain

You are here more than me dickwad

Jack
11-14-2021, 04:11 PM
This is like from 2006!





:what: