Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act

A bill to protect children from cybercrimes, including crimes by online predators, to enhance efforts to identify and eliminate child pornography, and to help parents shield their children from material that is inappropriate for minors.

5/22/2008--Passed Senate amended. Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act - Title I: Promoting a Safe Internet for Children -
(Sec. 101) Declares that the issue of Internet safety includes issues regarding the use of the Internet in a manner that promotes safe online activity for children, protects children from cybercrimes, including crimes by online predators, and helps parents shield their children from material that is inappropriate for minors.
(Sec. 102) Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to carry out a nationwide program to increase public awareness and provide education on strategies to promote the safe use of the Internet by children.
(Sec. 103) Requires the FTC to submit annual reports (by March 31) to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on the activities of its public awareness campaign.
(Sec. 104) Directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish an Online Safety and Technology working group to review and evaluate:
(1) the status of industry efforts to promote online safety for children;
(2) the recordkeeping practices of electronic communications and remote computing service providers in connection with crimes against children; and
(3) the development of technologies to help parents protect their children from inappropriate material on the Internet. Requires the working group to report to the Assistant Secretary and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on its findings. Renders the Federal Advisory Committee Act inapplicable to the working group.
(Sec. 105) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require elementary and secondary schools with computer access to the Internet to educate minors about appropriate online behavior, including online interaction with other individuals in social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response.
Title II: Enhancing Child Pornography Enforcement - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to impose a forfeiture penalty on Internet service providers who violate requirements of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 to report online child pornography.


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Sponsor

• Sen. Ted Stevens [R, AK]
• and 20 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. Christopher Bond [R, MO]
  • Sen. Benjamin Cardin [D, MD]
  • Sen. Thad Cochran [R, MS]
  • Sen. Norm Coleman [R, MN]
  • Sen. Charles Hagel [R, NE]
  • Sen. Orrin Hatch [R, UT]
  • Sen. Kay Hutchison [R, TX]
  • Sen. Daniel Inouye [D, HI]
  • Sen. John Kerry [D, MA]
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D, MN]
  • Sen. Blanche Lincoln [D, AR]
  • Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R, AK]
  • Sen. Bill Nelson [D, FL]
  • Sen. Mark Pryor [D, AR]
  • Sen. Pat Roberts [R, KS]
  • Sen. John Rockefeller [D, WV]
  • Sen. Gordon Smith [R, OR]
  • Sen. Olympia Snowe [R, ME]
  • Sen. John Thune [R, SD]
  • Sen. David Vitter [R, LA]
  close

Committees

• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• 1 more
  • House Energy and Commerce
  close

Amendments

This bill has 1 amendments. See All AmendmentsHide All Amendments

Amendments to S.1965

Number	Status	Purpose
S.Amdt.4819	Pass	To strike the authorization of appropriations and the additional child pornography amendments.

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
August 02, 2007		May 22, 2008

Show All Actions (11 actions)Hide Actions

All Bill Actions

• Jun 03, 2008: Received in the House.
• Jun 03, 2008: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• May 23, 2008: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
• Passed by Unanimous Consent in the Senate on May 22, 2008. Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
• May 22, 2008: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
• Added to calendar on Dec 12, 2007: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 538..
• Dec 12, 2007: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with amendments. With written report No. 110-245.
• Sep 27, 2007: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
• Sep 27, 2007: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Date of scheduled consideration. SR-253. 2:30 p.m.
• Aug 02, 2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
• Introduced on Aug 02, 2007.

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Related Bills:

• S.49

Related Issue Areas:

• Children
• Child pornography
• Child safety
• Computer crimes
• 21 more
• Congress
• Congressional reporting requirements
• Consumer education
• Consumers
• Criminal justice
• Criminal justice information
• Education
• Elementary and secondary education
• Executive departments
• Federal advisory bodies
• Fines (Penalties)
• Forfeiture
• Government information
• Government paperwork
• Informers
• Internet
• Law
• Technological innovations
• Technology
• Telecommunication
• Web sites

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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In the News

August 06, 2007 Stevens Introduces Legislation to Protect Children Online

... yesterday introduced the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act (S.1965). The bill is cosponsored by Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), ...

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Source: PressZoom (press release), Netherlands

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August 06, 2007 Inouye and Stevens Introduce Bill to Promote Internet Safety ...

The Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, S. 1965, also enhances efforts to identify and eliminate child pornography, and helps parents prevent the ...

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Source: PressZoom (press release), Netherlands

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August 03, 2007 Stevens Introduces Online Protection Bill

He has introduced the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act (S.1965), which, among other things, will require schools receiving government funds for ...

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Source: Broadcasting & Cable (subscription), NY

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Blog Coverage

October 19, 2007 S. 1965, Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act

Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on September 27, 2007.

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Source: Recent CBO Cost Estimates

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September 28, 2007 Promoting online child safety - Regulate or Educate?

... which links to a non-regulatory approach to protecting minors online. Both were authored by Adam Thierer of The Progress & Freedom Foundation, and showcase two bills presently pending before Congress - S. 1965 and HR 3461.

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Source: Online Liability Blog™

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September 27, 2007 New Online Safety Bills

The paper focuses on S. 1965, the "Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act," and HR 3461, the "Safeguarding America's Families by Enhancing and Reorganizing New and Efficient Technologies Act of 2006," or "SAFER NET" A

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Source: The Technology Liberation Front

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