State AGs Seek Web Protections
State attorneys general from across the nation are pushing for new laws and greater controls to make social networking Web sites safer for children.
Leading the 50-member group are Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Roy Cooper of North Carolina, the Wall Street Journal reports (sub. req.). They say sites such as MySpace and Facebook can be used by sexual predators looking to hook up with minors.
The group wants the sites to adopt greater parental controls and age-verification tools, but the companies say there isn’t an effective way to verify a child’s age.
U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill., has introduced a bill to give money to the Federal Trade Commission to launch a public awareness campaign for parents. Sen. Ted Stevens, R.-Alaska, has introduced a different bill that would require schools to educate students about possible dangers.
MySpace has removed 29,000 registered sex offenders on its site, and Facebook also said it found and removed some offenders.
