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DEL.ICIO.USSenator wants restrictions on social networking sites
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A Georgia senator worried about the safety of young teenagers who log on to Internet social networking sites such as MySpace.com and FaceBook.com has proposed a bill that would force such companies to tighten up their access to minors.
The measure would make it illegal for the owner or operator of a social networking Web site to allow minors to create or maintain a Web page without parental permission. Senate Bill 59 also would force MySpace.com and FaceBook.com to allow parents or guardians to have access to their children’s Web pages at all times.
Sen. Cecil Staton (R-Macon), the bill’s sponsor, said that while he believes parents should be actively involved and aware of their children’s activities, the social networking companies also should be held accountable for the safety of minors.
“I would reject the argument that these companies have no responsibility to address this problem,” Staton said. “I think when it comes to minor children, for someone to suggest a parent doesn’t have a right to be involved when these dangers are there — I would simply reject that.”
Staton cited statistics on dozens of teens who have been molested — or murdered, in some instances — by people they met through MySpace.com, according to law enforcement officials.
If owners or operators of a company failed to comply with the proposed law, they would be guilty of a misdemeanor on the first offense. A second offense would be a felony and could lead to imprisonment for between one and five years and a fine up to $50,000 or both.
Staton said the bill does not tell the companies exactly how to ensure that minors don’t log on without parental permission. The companies can figure that out on their own, he said.
“They can find a way to do this,” Staton said. “That’s my challenge to them.”
Earlier this month, MySpace.com announced a plan to offer free parental notification software, according to the Wall Street Journal. That software would enable parents who use it to know the name, age and location their kids are using on the Web site. But it does not allow parents to read their children’s e-mail or see their profile pages — falling short of what Staton’s bill would require.
House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) said his children use MySpace.com. But he said he and his wife have blocks on some Web sites and keep an eye on what their children see on their computers.
“The development of computer technology, Web sites, MySpace, is part of the evolution of this electronics age,” Richardson said. “Mommies and daddies ought to be regulating what their children see. I don’t know how the government can regulate the Internet.”
Lt. Governor Casey Cagle said he applauded Staton’s intentions but thought enforcement of the bill would be difficult. However, he said he would not interfere in allowing the measure to go through the Legislative process.
Staton, the chair of the Science and Technology Committee, is expected to hold hearings on the bill, perhaps as early as next Wednesday.
Permalink | Comments (18) | Post your comment | Categories: politics
Comments
By ROBERT MILLER
January 26, 2007 03:05 PM | Link to this
HERE IS WHAT I THINK THEY SHOULD DO. THEY SHOULD SET IT UP TO WHERE TEENS HAVE ACCESS TO THE TEEN ONLY SITES AND NOTHING ELSE AND IF ANYONE OVER THE LEGAL AGE SHOULD ACCESS A TEEN WEBSITE IT SHOULD BE TRACKED BY THE WEBSITE AND REPORTED OR RECORDED OR HAVE MORE PARENTS CONTROL THERE INTERNET BY PARENTAL CONTROL LIKE I HAVE ON MINE WITH MY KIDS ITS REAL EASY TO DO
By Seminole with bag over head!
January 26, 2007 03:27 PM | Link to this
Why shoudl the owners of the site be held responsible for what happens of the site? There are security measures now based on the age of the person on the profile. THis is as bad as blaming K-Mart for Columbine. We have gotten so bad that we are taking all resposibilities from the parents and putting them on every one else. Nothing will change until we put our focus back on family and parents parenting. Maybe what sites like myspace should do, is offer an educational piece for parents on the dangers of the internet and helpful suggestions on how to monitor their children and their childrens internet usage!
By Kent
January 26, 2007 03:38 PM | Link to this
what a gay bill….he probably just wants to access his kid’s site.
By buffy
January 26, 2007 03:49 PM | Link to this
No more that GUN COMPANIES should police adults who buy guns when their kids get hold of them and KILL someone because lack of parental supervision or concern.
By DonB.
January 26, 2007 03:52 PM | Link to this
DEAR GUVMINT.
GET THE HELL OUT OF PEOPLE’S HOUSES AND STOP TRYING TO LEGISLATE BEHAVIOR!
By Zach
January 26, 2007 03:54 PM | Link to this
Parents should be monitoring their children’s internet usage. It is not hard to do. The problem is the parents are relying on the government to take care of their kids instead of being a proactive mom or dad. We do not need more government, we just need parents to step up to the plate. The government is going about this the wrong way by placing the responsibility and blame on the website owners. Smarten up parents!
By Doug
January 26, 2007 04:03 PM | Link to this
More political rhetoric, from the mouths of those who are completely unfamiliar with technology. MySpace is being unfairly targeted only because of its popularity and usage volume - cyber crimes have occurred on nearly every popular online service. It wasn’t long ago the suits were arguing about AOL chat rooms; now it’s MySpace and Faceboook - all a desperate attempt to be relevant. Government’s role is not to act as parental watchdogs for ANY type of media.
Want to be relevant, politicians? Go work on our broken healthcare system and the growing gap between the millionaire CEOs and the struggling middle and lower classes.
By bullsh*t
January 26, 2007 04:13 PM | Link to this
how much can they do to protect people’s children???? if kids wanna get into some sh*t, they will. if someone wants to get to your kids, they will. there is only so much that a site can do….they already ask for age verification, etc. if a parent is really concerned about this, they’d invest in the technologies which prevent their certain sites from being available. the part of about giving parent’s access is ludicrous also. i agree that parents should have access to their kid’s account but MAYBE THAT COULD BE A PACT BETWEEN THE PARENT AND CHILD!!! (e.g., you can’t join unless we establish a password together). kudos to all of the parents who are in tune to what is going on with their kids via open relationships. that is the best deterrant (sp?) because it keeps the door open for a kid to step forward when issues arise.
By Oh No They're Back!!!
January 26, 2007 04:49 PM | Link to this
What a way to begin the year? First, our meathead governor whines abouts drivers going too fast. Now we’re hearing about banning cell phones for teens. And now this clown wants to pass a law governing MySpace. Senator Sir, in case you didn’t know there is no present way any Internet site can truthfully ascertain the age of its visitors. Its Cyberspace.
Why don’t you clowns get a life and begin introducing meaningful bills that have some teeth and can really get this state moving in the right direction? How about giving parents school vouchers, ending the car tag tax, ending property taxes, getting rid of the income tax, etc., etc., etc., Quit Meddling and Start Legislating.
By Phil
January 29, 2007 08:49 AM | Link to this
Reminds me of the time when Elvis came on the scene big time the “adults” wanted to ban him. Seems like it is time for everyone to take responsibility for their own actions.
By Kristie
January 29, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this
Although I appreciate Mr. Staton’s concern for internet usage & possible dangers for our children and teens, I recognize this as a complete fluff of legislative time, energies and process. Mr. Staton has, to my knowledge been a responsible Legislator and should remember that behavior pattern.
It is time for our parents to start parenting, and our government to start getting a grip on the real issues this state faces. If you can’t handle the committment to being a part of your child’s development, safety and help them grow into a responsible adult ALL THE TIME, then stop having children. It’s YOUR responsibility to raise and protect them… not the governmental faces that run in and out of our capital for a few years.
Take control, Georgia… remember that YOU pay the salaries of these Legislators, and YOU can control what bills they pass.
By J Bear
January 29, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this
Dear House Speaker Glenn Richardson and Senator Cecil Staton,
I am sure your kids only have one email account each and only signs onto the internet from home. Yeah right. Bottom line is that most people have multiple email accounts and use them where ever. I.E. a friends house or the library. How can anybody really think that everyone tells the truth about their age, sex, gender or marriage status in cyberspace. If a kid has to lie to get onto places like myspace.com and tell total strangers stuff that would not tell their parents. Then there is something wrong at home. Why not just punish the parents for neglect? Do you hold gun maker responsible when a kid finds their parents gun and shoot themselves? So passing a bill to punish sites like myspace.com is barking up the wrong tree.
It really comes down to the parents not the government.
Oh by the way : Hi I am a 23 year female. My name is Bambi. I am a Native American. I was born in Antarctica. Both my parents are Danish I work for NASA.
P.S. : Do something worthwhile like protecting the financially challenge from “Payday Loans” (HB163). “Those that have nothing left, will truly be left with nothing”. Better yet, protect the counties you represent from rapid growth. Where it appears that developers have no regards if a county has enough schools, roads or fire station… Because I know that the B.O.C. believes it is not their job to do so…
Thank you.
By Neil Shannon
January 30, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this
The Internet has become what it is today by embracing a spirit of cooperation and freedom of information. The Internet is a product of a world-wide community of supporters. Regulation or interference by governments will only be detrimental to the free flow of information on which the Internet is built.
Senator Stanton should press parents to take responsibility for the actions of their children. Perhaps the Senate can sponsor and ad campaign showing parents how to monitor or restrict their children’s internet access at home. Doing so is just as easy as creating a MySpace page.
By Jason Terlecki
January 30, 2007 10:57 AM | Link to this
I myself run a small website that could be considered a “social networking”, with many teens under 18 accessing it.
I run the site because kids like going there and have some fun on it. I don’t make a dime in profit and what little donations I received, don’t even come close to covering the expenses I have paid out of my own pocket. I have volunteers who help me manage the site as I have a full time job and don’t have the time to take care of it as I wish I could.
Now this piece of legislation in my opinion is a piece of junk, only good for a politician to boast he passed a bill to protect kids, without doing any efforts to actually protect them. Why should I have to parent the children? I am not their father. Why should I be held accountable ?
I despise the way this politician goes “We have to protect the kids from the big bad Internet monster, but we won’t help you figure out HOW to protect them”. Believe me, if there was a simple way for sites to verify this, they would do it already.
There is only one solution. Making sure the parents spend time with their children and make sure they take the time to be aware what their kids do online. Parents should be the first and last line of defense for children, no matter what the situation, and they should be held accountable for failing to protect their kids when it was in their power to do so.
By rawk
January 30, 2007 12:15 PM | Link to this
If you really want to monitor your children, put a keylogger on their computer. It doesn’t take a genius to know what a computer within your physical access is being used for.
Like someone else said, holding site owners responsible is like holding Walmart responsible for Columbine. Senator, take a class in logic.
By Flint Barrow
January 30, 2007 12:58 PM | Link to this
What if a “minor” creates a website that isn’t on a social network? But, he puts personal information there accessible to all the pedophiles and murders through google’s search. Technically whoever hosts such a site would have to be just as responsible as myspace is. This law is absurd. The web is a free place of open expression. I’ve been making web sites since I was twelve. My parents stayed interested and asked me to show them my sites. If kid’s are hiding things from their parents, its a larger problem than what the legislature can fix. Please realize how ridiculous this entire idea is, and I am ashamed that it is starting in my state.
By J Bear
January 30, 2007 01:43 PM | Link to this
Neil, Jason, Rawk and Flint. I agree with all of you. I am surprised that more people or companies that host web pages are not ringing in on this issues. Punish Myspace.com now and then we will go after everyone else later. This is a slippery slope. The sad part is that the Lt Gov Cagle said that he will let it proceed. Again this is an example of wasting good money on poorly laid out plans.
By williebee
January 31, 2007 01:19 PM | Link to this
OK, so you keep a set of spare car keys on the rack by the door, or in that drawer in the kitchen. Your kid takes the keys and goes for a drive.
Do you think GM should be responsible for making sure that it is YOU turning the key? Senator Staton apparently thinks so.