Thousands of Web sites with message boards or chat rooms would be encouraged to check their lists of registered users against a federal list of sex offenders, according to forthcoming legislation in the U.S. Congress.
The proposal says that such Web sites may--but are not required to--send a formal statement to the U.S. Department of Justice to request a list of sex offenders' e-mail addresses and screen names used for instant messaging.
A press conference is planned on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to announce the sex-offender legislation (PDF), a draft version of which was seen in advance by CNET News.com. Scheduled speakers include Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., Rep. Paul Gillmor, R-Ohio, and MySpace.com Chief Security Officer Hemanshu Nigam.
"This bill provides social-networking sites, which are an increasingly popular way for kids to connect with their friends, with one more tool to help keep our children safe from dangerous predators on the Internet," Pomeroy said in response to an inquiry Monday.
The legislation may also help allay the public relations problems that News Corp.-owned MySpace has encountered after a series of incidents involving adults using the popular service to seek sex with youths. Earlier this month, for instance, MySpace said it had developed software to let parents know what their children were doing online.
Current federal law requires that sex offenders provide information to the federal registry including their name, Social Security number, home address, work address, license plate number, DNA sample, fingerprints, and palm prints.
Pomeroy's so-called "Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act," or KIDS Act, would add the requirement of providing an e-mail address, instant message name and any other "similar Internet identifier."
The offender's e-mail address and other Internet information would be generally exempt from disclosure to the public. Social-networking sites, however, would be permitted to request it in confidence from the attorney general.
Social-networking sites are defined as any commercial Web site that permits people to create their own Web pages and offers a "mechanism for communication with other users," which would include sites like Slashdot.org, Amazon.com, CNET's Gamespot.com and CNET Reviews.
A similar version of the KIDS Act has been drafted by aides to Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, and Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican. One difference is that the draft Senate bill includes a revocation of supervised release for failure to register.
McCain has not introduced in the new Congress a related proposal from last year, which would force Web sites to report illegal images posted by their users or pay fines of up to $300,000 and delete Web pages posted by sex offenders.
Virginia's attorney general has also proposed an e-mail registration requirement for sex offenders.
2 comments:
I cant have a normal life myself and FYI I am not a pedophile or a repeat offender. It has been over 7 years since my crime
and while I wont excuse it nor do I ask others too. The simple truth is I lost my mind (I have A lonnng mental health history) and unfortunently I went in the direction of an SO and not say cuting myself or seing little green men. I spent over 3 years in the prison system
(raped and assulted) and I spent almost 3 in a State Hospital in an Sexoffender Treatment program,passed with flying colors.Did I meantion I was a juvinile offender? What I am saying is this is a VERY grey subject despite what people want to make of it. The persecution needs to stop! What about a black SO who is legaly segragated aginst because of the no SO in 1000 ft BS,because that is what it is. Or with this OHIO stuff,not to far till they make us wear little yellow six-pointed stars everywhere.Sound Familler? Don't think that won't happen in the US, Hello puritan Scarlet letters, or try telling that to the 100000s of Japenese-Americans and others rounded up and put in interment camps in the U.S. during WWII. Bottom line be warned this can and will happen to you too. The laws with SOs set the legal presedent.
For your readers cheak out this website
for some enlightenment on this subject.
http://www.geocities.com/eadvocate/issues/index.html
like SOs national repeat offence rate 3.5% for Child Molesters
as per the 2003 Deparment of Justice report.
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!
Anonymous,
You have really got to be kidding right? You committed a crime. Not just any crime, but a crime that even the most hardened criminals wouldn't do. That's the reason you were violated in prison. No one likes a Sexual Offender.
You stated that only 3.5% of Sexual Offenders are repeat offenders. Well, the first time you violated someone that person becomes a 100% victim and the percentage goes up if a sexual offender becomes one of those 3.5%. Now there are 2 victims and whole families destroyed by a Sexual Offender.
Don't come in here whining about how you got treated. Don't think for one minute that you or another Sex Offender deserves better. I think everyone with a felony offense should be tagged.
When moving last year, I actually went on websites to see how many Sexual Offenders were in the area that I was looking to move. It played a big role in the decision and I don't regret it one bit.
You need to wake up. You made a conscience decision to do the crime. Now do the time. Like everything else in life it is going to follow you to your grave. So suck it up.
I am leaving your comment up here so others can come in and read it. I am sure there will be many others that have no sympathy for you.
`The Troll
Post a Comment