Senate measures help make safer Internet
MARY LOU RATH New York State Senator
The Internet is a tremendous resource that has greatly increased our access to education and information. Unfortunately, as illustrated in recent local cases, sexual predators have made the Internet a potentially dangerous tool that can be used to victimize innocent children.

In addition, to holding a recent hearing on the topic at the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, the Senate has introduced several measures to help combat these predators.

The new and comprehensive Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act (e-STOP), establishes vital protections against sexual predators so users of the Internet - especially children - can more safely surf the Web. The legislation will restrict certain sex offenders' use of the Internet and updates Megan's Law for the Internet age.

The Internet and popular social networking sites are used by many young people and, disturbingly, many sexual predators. The e-STOP initiative will ensure greater protections for kids, more control for parents and more tools for law enforcement to better police the Internet and protect people from being victimized.

Current laws do not provide enough protection for our children and fail to keep sexual offenders from misusing the Internet. Unfortunately, recent investigations have found that social networking sites have become an easy way for sexual predators to prey upon our children.

Should e-STOP become law, sex offenders would be required to register their online identifiers, and the social networking sites could then use that information to ban sexual predators.

In addition to e-STOP, two bills that I sponsor aimed at protecting children recently passed the Senate.

The first is intended to protect children from predators who attempt to lure or entice them by means of a computer. Current law does not address the harassment of a child via a computer. As children increasingly use computers for a variety of reasons, all too often they are monitored by predators who use the Internet to initiate sexual encounters.

In one particular case that received national attention, a child's neighbor posted her name and telephone number on a Web site for others to solicit sex from her. My bill makes this crime a serious offense - a class D felony.

Another bill I sponsor addresses a situation that occurred in Western New York a few years ago when a man abused a 9-year-old girl, broadcast it on the Internet, and encouraged those viewing to make suggestions on what actions he should take.

Although the man who initiated the crime was arrested, those who watched and made online suggestions are just as guilty by actively participating. In the bill, a person would be guilty of a class D felony if he or she knowingly encourages or aids one or more persons to engage in a sex offense.

Protecting our children is one of our most important responsibilities.

These Senate measures represent a comprehensive approach to helping prevent crimes against children and punishing those who prey upon them.