Video: Bill would take Megan's Law to the Internet
State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was in Rochester yesterday to promote what could become the nation's first law to keep sexual predators from preying on children online.
Known as the Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators (e-STOP) Act, it would ban convicted sex offenders from social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook that are popular with millions of teens.
"This is great legislation," Cuomo said at a City Hall press conference. "It's about protecting children in New York state. It's about protecting families. Predators are out there. We need to keep them in our focus."
The new law would give police a tool to keep up with techological advances, he said.
"One of these challenges is how do we keep children safe on the Internet?" Cuomo said, noting he's got twin 13-year-old daughters who understand technology better than he does.
Cuomo said the new law would take Megan's Law, which requires sex offenders to register their addresses with local police, a step further by expanding it to include e-mail addresses and other online identifiers used for chat, instant messaging, social networking or other similar online communication with anyone under 18.
Cuomo said he's been working with MySpace and Facebook for the past year putting together agreements to police their sites and that they agree the new registry data would help them block access by sex offenders.
<object width="425" height="355">
<param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2TGENzC-r2o&rel=1" />
<param name="wmode" value="transparent" />width="425" height="355" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2TGENzC-r2orel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed></object> If approved, the law would require sex offenders, as a condition of probation or parole, to register all Internet accounts and online identifiers with the state Division of Criminal Justice Services to be compared with social networking sites and certain other online services. It would also be used to catch predators who would be charged with a felony offense in addition to a violation of their probation or parole. The law would apply to sex offenders whose victims were minors, those who used the Internet to commit their original crimes or Level 3 (higher risk) sex offenders. Cuomo said Megan's Law prevents sex offenders from going to playgrounds. This will prevent them from approaching children on the Internet, which has become the modern-day playground. He said it's about time the law evolved with technology. The bill, introduced by Cuomo last month, passed in the Senate Tuesday. It now goes to the Assembly, led by Speaker Sheldon Silver, whom Cuomo said has expressed his support. "We want this bill passed and we want this bill passed now," Cuomo said. "This bill makes sense for New York."<em>Messenger Post