UberNoggin

Synopsis As Introduced
Creates the Social Networking Website Access Restriction Act. Provides that an owner of a social networking website must obtain and maintain in a database the written permission of the parent or guardian of each minor who is allowed access to the social networking website. Provides that an owner of a social networking website must give each parent or guardian unlimited access to the webpage profile of the minor under his or her supervision. Provides that an owner of a social networking website must implement procedures for verification of the age and information of anyone having a webpage on the social networking website. Provides that an owner of a social networking website must also verify the status of the parents or guardians who have granted permission to a minor to host a social networking website. Prohibits registered sex offenders from hosting or accessing a social networking website. Provides that operators of a social networking website must allow the parent or guardian of the minor unrestricted access to the profile webpage of the minor at all times. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that a knowing violation by an owner or operator of the Social Networking Website Access Restriction Act is an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

Here is the definition of a social networking site: “Social networking website” means an Internet website:
5 containing profile web pages of the members of the website that
6 include the names or nicknames of such members, photographs
7 placed on the profile web pages by such member, or any other
8 personal or personally identifying information about such
9 members and links to other profile web pages on social
10 networking websites of friends or associates of such members
11 that can be accessed by other members or visitors to the
12 website. A social networking website provides members of or
13 visitors to such website the ability to leave messages or
14 comments on the profile web page that are visible to all or
15 some visitors to the profile web page and may also include a
16 form of electronic mail for members of the social networking
17 website.

d) The operator of a social networking website must adopt
18 and implement procedures to utilize independently obtainable
19 information to confirm the accuracy of the age and personal
20 identification information collected from:
21 (1) potential members of a social networking website;
22 and
23 (2) the parents and guardians of children applying for
24 a profile webpage.

Now imagine how Facebook and Myspace, even Club Penguin will have to react to this legislation if it passes. Because it will be impossible to follow the law they’ll have to resort to deleting the accounts of anyone under 18 in the state of Illinois. What happens next? Kids create new accounts lying about their age and their zip code. Which means that we’re encouraging them to pretend that they’re adults on the site thus giving predators plausible deniability (“her profile said she was 18!”)

Hey Illinois legislators! Listen up! This is not the way to do this. I applaud your intentions but this is the wrong method. How about throwing a little money into a program that helps parents understand how their kids use the internet so parents can be more informed gaurdians rather than you trying to do it!

Thanks to Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D. for posting the story to the Techrhet mailing list.