Should Congress Decree Social Networking and Chat Sites Teen-Free Zones?
Channel: Congressional Internet Caucus Academy
Date: 19/01/2012

Should Congress Decree Social Networking and Chat Sites Teen-Free Zones?
September 21, 2006

Numerous Congressional hearings have probed whether chat rooms, social networking sites and chat services present a danger to children and teens. The House passed the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) that requires schools and libraries to block teens' access to such sites. Further, some policymakers have proposed requiring such sites to block access to teens outright. The panel explored whether these sites inherently present a danger to teens worthy of such measures and whether such mandates are feasible.

The panel was moderated by Tim Lordan, Internet Education Foundation/Internet Caucus Advisory Committee. The panelists included: Jay Chaudhuri, Special Council to NC Attorney General, Donna Rice Hughes, Enough Is Enough, danah boyd, University of California, Berkeley, and Adam Thierer, Progress & Freedom Foundation.

This event was part of a three part panel series titled Legislating Online Child Safety. This briefing series is hosted by the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee on legislative proposals to protect children while online. Policymakers have put forward several proposals to mandate online safety and security for children and teens. This three-part panel discussion series unpacked the major legislative proposals and examine them in depth.

For this series, members have submitted one pagers on their perspectives with respect online child safety. This briefing book is available at http://www.netcaucus.org/books/childsafety2006/.

http://netcaucus.org/events/2006/socialnetworking/