May 12, 2006
Congress Targets Social Network Sites
CNET News.com on May 10 reported that Congress is targeting social networks with legislation.
MySpace and other social-networking sites like LiveJournal.com and Facebook are the potential targets for a proposed federal law that
would effectively require most schools and libraries to render those
Web sites inaccessible to minors, an age group that includes some of
the category's most ardent users.
would effectively require most schools and libraries to render those
Web sites inaccessible to minors, an age group that includes some of
the category's most ardent users.
It appears the legislation does give parents the right to offer permission for their child to have access. But even that doorway in the law, has great consequences. If the law is interpreted as broadly as CNET suggests, many websites could be off limits. What about libraries that are using these various services to reach their users? Are libraries going to have to get permission for every single website, rather than larger domains? For example, parents says "NO" to Blogger, but what if the library has a website on Blogger?
I wish politicians would do more to promote education and the role of parents than restricting rights.
UPDATE:
Another ALAL2 participant's post on this proposed social networking legislation.
Categories
ALA Blog: Are You 2.0 Yet L2 Project Libraries & Librarianship Library 2.0 Social Networks Web 2.0Trackbacks
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