II 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1047 

To promote Internet safety education and cybercrime prevention initiatives, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 14, 2009 

Mr. MENENDEZ introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To promote Internet safety education and cybercrime 

prevention initiatives, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘School And Family 

5 Education about the Internet Act of 2009’’ or the ‘‘SAFE 

6 Internet Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

8 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

9 (1) The Internet is an invaluable tool that is 

10 critical to the ability of the Nation to compete in a 


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1 global economy. The Internet provides instant access 

2 to research and boundless information, and estab3 lishes digital connections between individuals around 

4 the world. 

5 (2) About 93 percent of youth ages 12 through 

6 17 years are online and nearly 45 percent of chil7 dren ages 3 to 11 years will use the Internet on a 

8 monthly basis in 2009. Eighty-nine percent of youth 

9 13 through 19 years of age have a profile on social10 networking sites. Eighty percent of teens 13 through 

11 17 years of age use cell phones, most of which have 

12 built-in cameras. 

13 (3) Internet safety education, coupled with 

14 technology tools, is the most effective way to resolve 

15 and prevent the problems and dangers relating to 

16 misuse of the Internet and other new media. 

17 (4) According to an empirical study of 1,379 

18 fourth grade students in Virginia, the first State to 

19 mandate Internet safety education in its schools, the 

20 students improved their responses to 8 of 10 ques21 tions after completing an Internet safety education 

22 program, especially in 2 major areas, uncomfortable 

23 content and cyberbullying. 

24 (5) As a result of the enactment of the Chil25 dren’s Internet Protection Act (Public Law 106– 


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1 554; 114 Stat. 2763A–336) in 2000, which man2 dated that schools implement Internet safety policies 

3 and technology protection measures to receive E4 Rate funding, most schools have developed accept5 able use policies and implemented filtering and other 

6 technology-based solutions to help protect children. 

7 (6) Most elementary and secondary school edu8 cators have received little or no professional develop9 ment training on Internet safety. As a result, many 

10 students receive little or no education on safe, re11 sponsible, and ethical use of Internet and other new 

12 media. 

13 (7) The widespread use of the Internet, cell 

14 phones, interactive gaming, and other electronic 

15 communication devices by children both inside and 

16 outside of school suggest that acceptable use policies 

17 and filtering alone cannot resolve Internet safety 

18 concerns, and that a greater focus on education 

19 would be beneficial. 

20 (8) In a national poll on children’s health, par21 ents ranked Internet safety fifth among their top 

22 health concerns for children. Educating parents 

23 about Internet safety is key to empowering them to 

24 understand actual risks and to take an active role in 

25 protecting their children. 


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1 (9) The problem of online harassment or 

2 cyberbullying of youth by other youths is wide3 spread, and results in a range of children’s experi4 ences from minor irritation to severe emotional 

5 harm. The Bureau of Justice Statistics has found 

6 that online harassment tends to begin in third and 

7 fourth grade, peaks in seventh and eighth grade, 

8 and continues in reduced amounts throughout high 

9 school, college, and professional schools. 

10 (10) Young people face greater risks in the 

11 form of electronic aggression and sexual solicitation 

12 from other young people known to them than from 

13 strangers. 

14 (11) Gang members increasingly are using the 

15 Internet as a recruitment tool to entice would-be 

16 members and as an intimidation tool to threaten 

17 rival gangs. Gang members use the Internet in par18 ticular to promote their message. 

19 (12) More research is needed in several areas of 

20 youth online safety, including— 

21 (A) minor-to-minor solicitation to use the 

22 Internet in an inappropriate manner; 

23 (B) the creation of problematic content by 

24 youths; 


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1 (C) lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender 

2 youth and youth with disabilities who may be 

3 particularly vulnerable; 

4 (D) the interplay between socioeconomic 

5 class and risk factors; 

6 (E) the role that pervasive digital image 

7 and video capture devices play in harassment of 

8 youth by other youth and youth production of 

9 problematic content; 

10 (F) the intersection of different mobile and 

11 Internet-based technologies; and 

12 (G) the online activities of registered sex 

13 offenders. 

14 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are to— 

15 (1) facilitate research and identify best prac16 tices in Internet safety education; and 

17 (2) establish a competitive grant program for 

18 State educational agencies, local educational agen19 cies, and nonprofit organizations to promote Inter20 net safety education in the community. 

21 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

22 In this Act: 

23 (1) APPLICABLE AGENCY HEADS.—The term 

24 ‘‘applicable agency heads’’ means the Director, with 


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1 the concurrence of the Secretary of Education and 

2 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

3 (2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

4 the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance. 

5 (3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti6 ty’’ means— 

7 (A) a partnership between a State edu8 cational agency and 1 or more local educational 

9 agencies (as those terms are defined in section 

10 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu11 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)) of the 

12 State; 

13 (B) a local educational agency; 

14 (C) a nonprofit organization; or 

15 (D) a consortium of elementary schools or 

16 secondary schools (as those terms are defined in 

17 section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary 

18 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)) col19 laborating with an entity described in subpara20 graph (A), (B), or (C). 

21 (4) GRANT GUIDANCE.—The term ‘‘grant guid22 ance’’ means the grant guidance issued under sec23 tion 4(e)(1). 

24 (5) INTERNET SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAM.— 

25 The term ‘‘Internet safety education program’’ 


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1 means an age-appropriate, research-based program 

2 that encourages safe, ethical, and responsible use of 

3 the Internet, promotes an informed, critical under4 standing of the Internet, and educates children and 

5 communities about how to prevent or respond to 

6 problems or dangers related to the Internet or new 

7 media. 

8 (6) NEW MEDIA.—The term ‘‘new media’’— 

9 (A) means emerging digital, computerized, 

10 or networked information and communication 

11 technologies that often have interactive capabili12 ties; and 

13 (B) includes e-mail, instant messaging, 

14 text messaging, websites, blogs, interactive 

15 gaming, social media, cell phones, and mobile 

16 devices. 

17 (7) NONPROFIT.—The term ‘‘nonprofit’’ means 

18 that a person is an organization that is described in 

19 section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 

20 1986, and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of 

21 that Code. 

22 SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM. 

23 (a) AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (e)(1), 

25 the Director, after consultation with the Secretary of 


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1 Education and the Secretary of Health and Human 

2 Services, may make grants to eligible entities to 

3 carry out an Internet safety education program and 

4 other activities relating to Internet safety. 

5 (2) PERIOD.—A grant under this section shall 

6 be for a 2-year period. 

7 (b) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity desiring a grant 

8 under this section shall submit an application to the Direc9 tor, which shall include— 

10 (1) a description of the partnership arrange11 ments, if any, of the eligible entity relating to the 

12 activities to be carried out with the grant; 

13 (2) a description of the measurable goals of the 

14 eligible entity relating to the activities to be carried 

15 out with the grant; 

16 (3) a description of how the Internet safety 

17 education program of the eligible entity shall achieve 

18 the measurable goals described in paragraph (2); 

19 (4) a description of the plan of the eligible enti20 ty to continue to implement the Internet safety edu21 cation program after the grant under this section 

22 ends; 

23 (5) a description of how funds under the grant 

24 may be used and coordinated with Internet safety 

25 education programs being carried out on the date of 


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1 enactment of this Act or other Internet safety edu2 cation programs established with grants under this 

3 section; 

4 (6) a description of the demographics of the in5 dividuals that shall be targeted under the proposed 

6 Internet safety education program; and 

7 (7) any other information or assurances re8 quired by the Director. 

9 (c) PRIORITIZATION.—In making grants under this 

10 section, the Director shall give priority to an eligible entity 

11 that— 

12 (1) is comprised of a partnership between 1 or 

13 more nonprofit groups and education agencies; 

14 (2) identifies and targets at-risk children; 

15 (3) works in partnership with the private sec16 tor, law enforcement, the philanthropic community, 

17 the media, researchers, social services organizations, 

18 or other community-based groups; 

19 (4) provides Internet safety education programs 

20 at no cost to students or schools; 

21 (5) accommodates different languages and lan22 guage proficiencies; 

23 (6) accommodates differing levels of techno24 logical sophistication; or 


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1 (7) has a viable plan to sustain the Internet 

2 safety education program after the grant program 

3 ends. 

4 (d) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity may use a 

5 grant under this section to— 

6 (1) identify, develop, and implement Internet 

7 safety education programs, including educational 

8 technology, multimedia and interactive applications, 

9 online resources, and lesson plans; 

10 (2) provide professional training to elementary 

11 and secondary teachers, administrators, and other 

12 staff on Internet safety and new media literacy; 

13 (3) develop online-risk prevention programs for 

14 children; 

15 (4) train and support peer-driven Internet safe16 ty education initiatives; 

17 (5) coordinate and fund research initiatives that 

18 investigate online risks to children and Internet safe19 ty education; 

20 (6) develop and implement public education 

21 campaigns to promote awareness of online risks to 

22 children and Internet safety education; 

23 (7) educate parents about teaching their chil24 dren how to use the Internet and new media safely, 

25 responsibly, and ethically and help parents identify 


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1 and protect their children from risks relating to use 

2 of the Internet and new media; or 

3 (8) carry out any other activity approved by the 

4 Director. 

5 (e) GRANT GUIDANCE.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Before making grants under 

7 this section, and not later than 1 month after the 

8 date on which the study under paragraph (3)(A) is 

9 completed, the applicable agency heads, in consulta10 tion with education groups, Internet safety groups, 

11 and other relevant experts in the field of new media, 

12 shall issue detailed guidance for the grant program 

13 under this section. 

14 (2) CONTENTS OF GUIDANCE.—The grant guid15 ance shall be in accordance with best practices relat16 ing to Internet education and the research-based 

17 recommendations derived from the study conducted 

18 under paragraph (3)(A). 

19 (3) INTERNET SAFETY RESEARCH.— 

20 (A) INITIAL RESEARCH.—The applicable 

21 agency heads shall enter into contracts with one 

22 or more private companies, government agen23 cies, or nonprofit organizations to complete a 

24 study, not later than 3 months after the date 

25 of enactment of this Act, regarding— 


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1 (i) the nature and prevalence of Inter2 net safety education programs and any evi3 dence-based research conducted relating to 

4 the programs; 

5 (ii) findings regarding at-risk chil6 dren; 

7 (iii) gaps in Internet safety education 

8 and youth online risk research; and 

9 (iv) any other area determined appro10 priate by the applicable agency heads. 

11 (B) ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.—Subject to 

12 the availability of appropriations, the applicable 

13 agency heads shall enter into contracts with pri14 vate companies, government agencies, or non15 profit organizations to conduct additional re16 search regarding the issues described in sub17 paragraph (A). Any research conducted under 

18 this subparagraph shall be included in the re19 ports under subsection (g)(3). 

20 (f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The applicable agency 

21 heads shall provide technical assistance to eligible entities 

22 that receive a grant under this section, which may include 

23 maintaining a website to facilitate outreach and commu24 nication among the eligible entities that receive a grant 

25 under this section. 


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1 (g) REPORTS.— 

2 (1) BY ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An eligible entity 

3 that receives a grant under this section shall issue 

4 publically an annual report regarding the activities 

5 carried out using funds made available under the 

6 grant, which shall include— 

7 (A) a description of how the eligible entity 

8 implemented the Internet safety education pro9 gram carried out with the grant; 

10 (B) the number and demographic charac11 teristics of the individuals reached; 

12 (C) an analysis of whether and to what de13 gree the goals for the Internet safety education 

14 program were met; and 

15 (D) an analysis of the challenges, if any, 

16 that interfered with achieving the goals de17 scribed in subparagraph (C). 

18 (2) COMPILATION OF ANNUAL REPORTS FOR

19 REVISED GRANT GUIDANCE.—The applicable agency 

20 heads shall— 

21 (A) review the report under paragraph (1) 

22 issued by each eligible entity that receives a 

23 grant under this section during the first fiscal 

24 year for which grants under this section are 

25 made; and 


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1 (B) not later than 6 months after the date 

2 on which all reports described in subparagraph 

3 (A) are issued, modify the grant guidance based 

4 on the reports. 

5 (3) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 

6 27 months after the date on which the Director 

7 makes the first grant under this section, and annu8 ally thereafter, the applicable agency heads shall 

9 submit to Congress a report regarding the grant 

10 program under this section, which shall include— 

11 (A) a compilation of the information and 

12 findings of the annual reports issued under 

13 paragraph (1); 

14 (B) the findings and conclusions of the ap15 plicable agency heads, including findings and 

16 conclusions relating to the effectiveness of 

17 Internet safety education programs carried out 

18 using a grant under this section; and 

19 (C) best practices identified by the applica20 ble agency heads relating to Internet safety 

21 education. 

22 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

23 authorized to be appropriated to the Director to carry out 

24 this section $35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 

25 through 2014. Of amounts made available to carry out 


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1 this section, not more than 5 percent shall be available 

2 to carry out subsections (e), (f), and (g)(2). 

Æ 


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