New bill banning the web?

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by petek

Let's take a deep breathe and focus.

First, this bill would require institutions which receive federal funding to block access for minors to sites which allow people to share personal info and message like MySpace, CD, etc., but would not "ban" them.

Second, IMHO, this is a poorly conceived attempt by my congressman to seem to be doing something about online predators, and would have little or no impact on that front.

Finally, rather than complain about it, do like I did and write your congressman to explain to her/him how this bill would prevent you from collaborating with your peers on CD while working at school (assuming your school lets you on CD now), and all the benefits you get from that interaction. While you're at it, you might make sure s/he knows about FIRST and what a positive influence it is...

And there is a teachable moment here: Whenever anyone tells you something, especially of a shocking nature, look into the facts before reacting. The more shocking, the more likely it's false. Thanks & Rep to Tristan Lall for linking to the actual text which, if read, is pretty clear as to what they mean - if you can follow the legalese.

The bottom line is this: Don't take anyone's word for it, not even ABC News: Do your own research, come to your own conclusions. If you take just this one habit with you into life, you will be a much better citizen, and happeir too.

Don