It was, in all likelihood, just a matter of time before MySpace — the social-networking site frequented by high-school and college students — became a hot-button political issue. And it should hardly come as a surprise that it’s the specter of online predators that is driving lawmakers to take action.
Michael G. Fitzpatrick, a Republican representative from Pennsylvania, has introduced the ambitiously titled "Deleting Online Predators Act," a bill that would prohibit anyone under 18 from using MySpace on computers at public schools and libraries. The bill — whose purpose, according to Mr. Fitzpatrick, is "to protect children from the Internet" — would also prohibit minors from using public machines to log onto chat rooms and some online forums. (Los Angeles Times)
For more on social-networking sites, see an article from The Chronicle by Brock Read.
