Re: Deleting Online Predators Act

[Rodney Petersen <rpetersen () EDUCAUSE EDU>]

This bill (Deleting Online Predators Act) proposes to amend the section
of the Communications Act of 1934 that pertains to universal service.
Therefore, it would only apply to k-12 schools or public libraries that
are recipients of universal service funds (USF).  (The link below
incorrectly states that the bill would apply to anyone who is a
"receipient of federal funding".)  Note that DOPA proposes to amend
existing legislation that already requires USF recipients to enforce "a
policy of Internet safety for minors that includes monitoring the online
activities of minors and the operation of a technology protection
measure with respect to any of its computers with Internet access that
protects against access through such computers to visual depictions that
are obscene, child pornography; or harmful to minors".

Therefore, DOPA, if passed, would have little or no impact upon a
typical college or university.  We have been monitoring the legislation,
and I have attended some of the hearings because the issues present
broader concerns with respect to unnecessary controls over Internet
content.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

-Rodney

-------------------------------------------------- 
Rodney J. Petersen
Policy Analyst & Security Task Force Coordinator

EDUCAUSE 
1150 18th Street, N.W., Suite 1010
Washington, D.C.  20036
(202) 331-5368 / (202) 872-4200 
(202) 872-4318 (FAX) 
EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Security Task Force
www.educause.edu/security 
-------------------------------------------------- 

-----Original Message-----
From: Clyde Hoadley [mailto:hoadleyc () MSCD EDU] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 3:06 PM
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Subject: [SECURITY] Deleting Online Predators Act

Is the Educasue community aware of this?  It has made it through the
House and has been sent to the Senate.  I think this legislation is very
misguided.  Has Educause put out any kind of position paper or advisory
ref. this?


I suspect this will have a significant adverse impact on our
institution, our shared campus Library, and other community colleges.

Deleting Online Predators Act
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.+5319:

Discussion: MySpace and Deleting Online Predators Act
http://www.danah.org/papers/MySpaceDOPA.html


---
Clyde Hoadley
Security & Disaster Recovery Coordinator Department of Information
Technology Metropolitan State College of Denver