While many services let parents dictate what their children can and cannot do on line, it's unlikely any service would go beyond optional limitations. Even colleges have given up acting in loco parentis, or in place of parents. Providers aren't about to enter that legal minefield, Rasch says. Say you've promoted the service as being child-safe, you've regulated it. Don't confuse lack of liability with lawlessness.
All providers come down hard on anyone targeting children.
Part of the ill-fated Communications Decency Act survived, and it is a provision that makes it illegal to use the Internet to stalk children. The New Jersey case seems to fall directly under that provision. To keep things from getting to that point, many services make parental tools available. AOL offers easy and extensive controls that allow parents to tailor accounts to their children's needs and maturity. It's all customizable.