11 May 2006
Politicians Target Social Sites For Restrictions

If this bill passes, MacRaven would no longer be accessible from schools or libraries. I allow comments, you see, and that qualifies as a "forum" for conversation. And when that fails to stop kids from getting online, I'm sure the Congress will ratchet things up a notch and require me to install an age test for access to my blog from anywhere. We must protect the children, after all, and damn the cost!

The Republicans have moved from being the party of smaller government to the party of government small enough to fit in your bedroom. Or living room. Or anywhere they want agents of the State to intrude on your life.

The full text of the proposed legislation can be found here(PDF).

Politicians are looking for reasons to convince citizens to vote in November, and polls say suburban parents are worried about the internet. Wednesday top House Republicans announced a bill to make 'social' Web sites unreachable from schools and libraries. The bill is intended to go after MySpace, but the actual text of the legislation covers sites that let users 'create profiles' and have a 'forum' for conversations -- which would include Slashdot and many blog sites. House Speaker Dennis Hastert claims it's necessary to stop 'dangerous predators' out here on the Interweb.

(link) [Slashdot]

Update: Dana Blankenhorn has a great post up on this issue.

12:14 /Politics | 1 comment | permanent link