I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3222 

To promote Internet safety education and cybercrime prevention initiatives, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 15, 2009 

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (for herself and Mr. CULBERSON) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

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 ‘‘Adolescent Web 

5 Awareness Requires Education Act’’ or the ‘‘AWARE 

6 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 connects 

3 individuals around the world. 

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

5 17 years use online services regularly and nearly 45 

6 percent of children ages 3 to 11 years will use the 

7 Internet on a monthly basis in 2009. Eighty-nine 

8 percent of teens have a profile on social networking 

9 sites. Eighty percent of teens ages 13 through 17 

10 years use cell phones, most of which have built-in 

11 cameras. 

12 (3) Bullying in schools can take many forms, 

13 including sending insulting, threatening, or offensive 

14 messages via Internet sites, email, instant mes15 saging, cell phone text messaging, telephone, or any 

16 other electronic messaging system. 

17 (4) In a recent survey, 1 in 5 teenagers stated 

18 that they had used their cell phones to send explicit 

19 photos of themselves to a peer, a practice commonly 

20 known as ‘‘sexting’’. In most States, such conduct 

21 can subject young adults to felony child pornography 

22 charges and the potential punishment of registering 

23 as a sex offender. 

24 (5) The Internet has facilitated the growth of 

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1 raphy, far exceeding the capacity of law enforcement 

2 to respond at the Federal, State, and local level. 

3 (6) Internet safety education, coupled with 

4 technology tools, is the most effective way to resolve 

5 and prevent these crimes and other dangers com6 mitted on the Internet and in other new media. 

7 (7) According to an empirical study of 1,379 

8 fourth grade students in Virginia, the first State to 

9 mandate Internet safety education in its schools, the 

10 students improved their responses to 8 of 10 Inter11 net safety scenarios after completing an Internet 

12 safety education program, with the greatest improve13 ment in uncomfortable content and cyberbullying. 

14 (8) The enactment of the Children’s Internet 

15 Protection Act (Public Law 106–554; 114 Stat. 

16 2763A–336) mandated that schools implement 

17 Internet safety policies and technology protection 

18 measures in order to receive discounts to obtain af19 fordable telecommunications and Internet access. 

20 Most schools have now developed acceptable use poli21 cies and have implemented filtering and other tech22 nology-based solutions to help protect children. 

23 (9) However, less than 25 percent of educators 

24 feel comfortable teaching students how to protect 

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1 tity thieves, according to a recent study by the Na2 tional Cyber Security Alliance and Educational 

3 Technology Policy, Research, and Outreach. The 

4 same study found that 90 percent of educators have 

5 received less than 6 hours of professional develop6 ment on issues related to online security in the past 

7 year. As a result, many students receive little or no 

8 education on safe and responsible use of the Internet 

9 and other new media. 

10 (10) The widespread use of the Internet, cell 

11 phones, interactive gaming, and other electronic 

12 communication devices by children both inside and 

13 outside of schools suggests that acceptable use poli14 cies and filtering alone cannot resolve Internet safe15 ty concerns and that a greater focus on education 

16 would be beneficial. 

17 (11) In a national poll on children’s health, par18 ents ranked Internet safety fifth among their top 

19 health concerns for children. Yet according to a 

20 Common Sense Media poll conducted in 2006, al21 most 90 percent of parents say that they lack the 

22 knowledge about how to protect their children on23 line. For this reason, educating parents about Inter24 net safety is key to empowering them to understand 


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1 actual risks and to take an active role in protecting 

2 their children. 

3 (12) The problem of online harassment, or 

4 cyberbullying, of youth by other youths is wide5 spread and results in a range of children’s experi6 ences from minor irritation to severe emotional 

7 harm. The Bureau of Justice Statistics has found 

8 that online harassment tends to begin in third and 

9 fourth grade, peaks in seventh and eighth grade, 

10 and continues in reduced amounts throughout high 

11 school, college, and professional school. 

12 (13) Gang members increasingly are using the 

13 Internet as a recruitment tool to entice would-be 

14 members and as an intimidation tool to threaten 

15 rival gangs. Gang members use the Internet, in par16 ticular, to promote their message. 

17 (14) More research is needed in several areas of 

18 youth online safety, including— 

19 (A) the prevention of minor-to-minor solici20 tation and other inappropriate use of the Inter21 net; 

22 (B) the prevention of the creation of prob23 lematic content by youths; 


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1 (C) the protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, 

2 and transgender youth and youth with disabil3 ities that may be 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 for youth, parents, 

17 and education officials; and 

18 (2) establish a competitive grant program for 

19 State education agencies, local educational agencies, 

20 and nonprofit organizations to institute best prac21 tices relating to Internet education and the research22 based recommendations derived from the study con23 ducted under this Act. 

24 SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM. 

25 (a) AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.— 


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

2 the Attorney General, after consultation with the 

3 Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health 

4 and Human Services, shall make grants to eligible 

5 entities to carry out an Internet safety education 

6 program. 

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

8 be for a 2-year period. 

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

10 under this section shall submit an application to the Attor11 ney General, which shall include— 

12 (1) a description of the partnership arrange13 ments, if any, of the eligible entity relating to the 

14 activities to be carried out with the grant; 

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

16 eligible entity relating to the activities to be carried 

17 out with the grant; 

18 (3) a description of how the Internet safety 

19 education program of the eligible entity shall achieve 

20 the measurable goals described in paragraph (2); 

21 (4) a description of the plan of the eligible enti22 ty to continue to implement the Internet safety edu23 cation program after the grant under this section 

24 ends; 


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

2 may be used and coordinated with Internet safety 

3 education programs being carried out on the date of 

4 enactment of this Act or other Internet safety edu5 cation programs established with grants under this 

6 section; 

7 (6) a description of the target audience under 

8 the proposed Internet safety education program; 

9 (7) a certification that the eligible entity en10 forces the operation of technology protection meas11 ures under section 254(h)(5) of the Communications 

12 Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(h)(5)) if the eligible en13 tity provides Internet access to minors; and 

14 (8) any other information or assurances re15 quired by the Attorney General. 

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

17 section, the Attorney General shall give priority to an eligi18 ble entity that— 

19 (1) identifies and targets at-risk children; 

20 (2) works in partnership with the private sec21 tor, law enforcement, the philanthropic community, 

22 the media, researchers, social services organizations, 

23 or other community-based groups; 

24 (3) provides Internet safety education programs 

25 at no cost to students or schools; 


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1 (4) accommodates different languages and lan2 guage proficiencies; 

3 (5) accommodates differing levels of techno4 logical sophistication; or 

5 (6) has a viable plan to sustain the Internet 

6 safety education program after the grant program 

7 ends. 

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

9 grant under this section to— 

10 (1) identify, develop, and implement Internet 

11 safety education programs, including educational 

12 technology, multimedia and interactive applications, 

13 online resources, and lesson plans; 

14 (2) provide professional training to elementary 

15 and secondary school teachers, administrators, and 

16 other staff on Internet safety and new media lit17 eracy; 

18 (3) educate parents about teaching their chil19 dren how to use the Internet and new media safely 

20 and responsibly and help parents identify and pro21 tect their children from risks relating to use of the 

22 Internet and new media; 

23 (4) develop online risk prevention programs for 

24 children; 


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1 (5) train and support peer-driven Internet safe2 ty education initiatives; 

3 (6) coordinate and fund research initiatives that 

4 investigate online risks to children and Internet safe5 ty education; or 

6 (7) develop and implement public education 

7 campaigns to promote awareness of online risks to 

8 children and Internet safety education. 

9 (e) GRANT GUIDANCE.— 

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

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

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

13 completed, the applicable agency heads, in consulta14 tion with education groups, internet safety groups, 

15 and other relevant experts in the field of new media 

16 and child safety, shall issue detailed guidance for the 

17 grant program under this section. 

18 (2) CONTENTS OF GUIDANCE.—The grant guid19 ance shall be implemented by the Attorney General 

20 in accordance with best practices relating to Internet 

21 education and the research-based recommendations 

22 derived from the study conducted under paragraph 

23 (3)(A). 

24 (3) INTERNET SAFETY RESEARCH.— 


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1 (A) INITIAL RESEARCH.—The Attorney 

2 General shall enter into contracts with 1 or 

3 more private companies, government agencies, 

4 or nonprofit organizations to complete a study, 

5 not later than 6 months after the date of enact6 ment of this Act, regarding— 

7 (i) the nature, prevalence, and quality 

8 of Internet safety education programs and 

9 any evidence-based research conducted re10 lating to the programs; 

11 (ii) findings regarding which children 

12 are most at risk; 

13 (iii) gaps in Internet safety education 

14 and youth online risk research; and 

15 (iv) any other area determined appro16 priate by the Attorney General. 

17 (B) ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.—Subject to 

18 the availability of appropriations, the Attorney 

19 General shall enter into contracts with private 

20 companies, government agencies, or nonprofit 

21 organizations to conduct additional research re22 garding the issues described in subparagraph 

23 (A). Any research conducted under this sub24 paragraph shall be included in the reports 

25 under subsection (g)(3). 


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1 (f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Attorney General 

2 shall provide technical assistance to eligible entities that 

3 receive a grant under this section, which may include 

4 maintaining a Web site to facilitate outreach and commu5 nication among the eligible entities that receive a grant 

6 under this section. 

7 (g) REPORTS.— 

8 (1) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An eligible entity 

9 that receives a grant under this section shall submit 

10 to the Attorney General and make public an annual 

11 report regarding the activities carried out using 

12 funds made available under the grant, which shall 

13 include— 

14 (A) a description of how the eligible entity 

15 implemented the Internet safety education pro16 gram carried out with the grant; 

17 (B) a detailed description of the audience 

18 reached; 

19 (C) an analysis of whether and to what de20 gree the goals for the Internet safety education 

21 program were met; 

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

23 that interfered with achieving the goals de24 scribed in subparagraph (C); 


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1 (E) plans for future Internet safety pro2 grams; and 

3 (F) an accounting of the funds used. 

4 (2) COMPILATION OF ANNUAL REPORTS FOR

5 REVISED GRANT GUIDANCE.—The Attorney General 

6 shall— 

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

8 submitted by each eligible entity that receives a 

9 grant under this section during the first fiscal 

10 year for which grants under this section are 

11 made; and 

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

13 on which all reports described in subparagraph 

14 (A) are submitted, modify, as appropriate, the 

15 grant guidance based on the reports after con16 sultation with the Secretary of Education and 

17 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

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

19 27 months after the date on which the Attorney 

20 General makes the first grant under this section, 

21 and annually thereafter, the applicable agency heads 

22 shall submit to Congress a report regarding the 

23 grant program under this section, which shall in24 clude— 


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1 (A) a compilation of the information and 

2 findings of the annual reports submitted under 

3 paragraph (1); 

4 (B) the findings and conclusions of the ap5 plicable agency heads, including findings and 

6 conclusions relating to the effectiveness of 

7 Internet safety education programs carried out 

8 using a grant under this section; and 

9 (C) best practices identified by the applica10 ble agency heads relating to Internet safety 

11 education. 

12 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 

14 appropriated to the Attorney General to carry out 

15 this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

16 2010 through 2014. 

17 (2) LIMITATION.—Of amounts made available 

18 to carry out this section, not more than 5 percent 

19 shall be available to carry out subsections (e), (f), 

20 and (g)(2). 

21 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

22 In this Act, the following definitions apply: 

23 (1) APPLICABLE AGENCY HEADS.—The term 

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1 cation and the Secretary of Health and Human 

2 Services. 

3 (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti4 ty’’ means— 

5 (A) a partnership between a State edu6 cational agency and 1 or more local educational 

7 agencies (as those terms are defined in section 

8 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu9 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)) of the 

10 State; 

11 (B) a local educational agency; 

12 (C) a nonprofit organization; or 

13 (D) a consortium of elementary schools or 

14 secondary schools (as those terms are defined in 

15 section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary 

16 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)) col17 laborating with an entity described in subpara18 graph (A), (B), or (C). 

19 (3) GRANT GUIDANCE.—The term ‘‘grant guid20 ance’’ means the grant guidance issued under sec21 tion 3(e)(1). 

22 (4) INTERNET SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAM.— 

23 The term ‘‘Internet safety education program’’ 

24 means an age-appropriate, research-based program 

25 that encourages safe and responsible use of the 


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1 Internet, promotes an informed, critical under2 standing of Internet dangers, and educates children, 

3 parents, and communities about how to prevent or 

4 respond to problems or dangers related to the Inter5 net or new media. 

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

7 (A) means emerging digital, computerized, 

8 or networked information and communication 

9 technologies that often have interactive capabili10 ties; and 

11 (B) includes email, instant messaging, text 

12 messaging, Web sites, blogs, interactive gaming, 

13 social media, cell phones, and mobile devices. 

14 (6) NONPROFIT.—The term ‘‘nonprofit’’ means 

15 an organization that is described in section 501(c) of 

16 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from 

17 tax under section 501(a) of that Code. 

Æ 


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