US House Resolution 5319, the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA), was passed by a 410 to 15 vote tonight. If the Resolution becomes law social networking sites and chat rooms must be blocked by schools and libraries or those institutions will lose their federal internet subsidies. According to the resolution’s top line summary it will “amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require recipients of universal service support for schools and libraries to protect minors from commercial social networking websites and chat rooms.”
Adults will be able to ask for the library’s permission to use such sites. The Resolution will now go to the US Senate for a vote before being offered to the President for signature into law.
The rhetoric from advocates was all about MySpace. For example, Texas Republican Ted Poe says, “social networking sites such as MySpace and chat rooms have allowed sexual predators to sneak into homes and solicit kids.”
An incredibly vague law, DOPA will require schools and libraries to block access to a potentially huge range of sites on the internet. The goal is to protect children from adult predators. Sites that must be blocked include those that allow people to post profiles, include personal information and allow “communication among users.”
410-15 was a shocking vote. I write about it here because it has the potential to impact a huge portion of our readership and the companies we profile on this site. Though the viability of enforcing such a law is open to question, web services offering collaboration in education are looking seriously endangered. Secondary collaborative consequences of commercial web sites used in schools aren’t looking good either. Or perhaps it’s just symbolic of the divide in the US between on one hand those of us who are excited about the incredible potential of web services to enable personal creativity and on-demand global communication and on the other hand those who believe that the internet is just a series of tubes.
I’m not the best person to analyze this though. Here’s who I recommend:
- Declan McCullagh at ZDNet has posted a very thorough background article on DOPA.
- Andy Carvin writes Learning Now, a blog about education and technology for PBS, and has set up a page called DOPAWatch to aggregate blog posts on the topic.
- danah boyd is probably the web’s leading expert in analyzing the politics of MySpace and youth social networking.
- Will Richardson’s Weblogg-Ed is a great source for all things Learning 2.0
- Vicki A. Davis is a Christian school teacher in Georgia who uses blogs, wikis, podcasting and more in her classrooms. Vicki has written a number of powerful posts on DOPA and I would expect she’ll have something to say in the morning.
If youth are the most likely adopters of new social software then I think it would be in the interests of all who are interested in social software to watch the US government’s attempts to keep children from it.
Comments
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Rose, I understand you desire to block some sites, but you end up with the same conundrum that has vexed the filtering companies for too long. How can you possibly police the list of websites when they are so easy to create? It’s like a game of whack-a-mole, and if you whack MySpace, something (or more likely many more things) will pop up in its place. Filtering is not the solution. If we are really and truly concerned with keeping predators away from the children, perhaps we need to think of new solutions. Start with a blank sheet of paper and start over. Technology can solve many problems. Kidnappers used to use vans to grab kids. We didn’t ban kids from vans. The people (in part aided by government) created the amber alert. The goal of any solution should be to make the medium (in the case of kidnapping it was the van, but in this case it’s the Internet at large) as difficult as possible for the would be predators to use it for evil, not to keep the kids away from something that has so much potential and goodness. Over-reaching legislation is never, ever the answer.
Just my 2 cents.
how about the ims? people also meet each others via ims.
amazing yes…
and also I found really good comments in this threat
However, my question is: Why parents do not spent QUALITY of time EDUCATING their OWN children?! TEACH THEM TO BE CRITIC !!!!
Excuse me readers, but kids are not doom!, as a matter of fact, they are a lot smarter than some “adults”. What I had found, specially in the USA are LONELY kids, which makes a difference, and should put you to think.
In this regulation, in case that actually out there are TONS of sexual predators will not eradicate them, isn’t it?! The only thing that practically this law is doing is to reduce the use of potential tools, that schools might use to really teach our kids to use their common sense.
Why not POLITICIANS use their time and “knowledge” in resolve really important matters as for example, how to promote family integration, or in other words, how the state can support initiatives to support parents, that work, to spend more time in educating their kids and still keep with a decent life.
Please Let Me View This Website
look i think its bootie that we kids in high school cannot get on myspace we are responisble enough to get on it!!!! and who ever knows how tho get around the schools setings please e-mail me at redhotcutie_09@yahoo.com
thanks if u e-mail me!! lol J/p 
THIS IS FREAKING LAME! it isn’t myspace’s fault that some kids are dumb enough to meet people they meet online. it is the kid’s fault. and because some kids are stupid, all of us are being punished. LAME! i think this new law sucks and anyone who thinks it’s a good idea should do a little research before supporting something so dumb.
Somehow people are still getting on myspace at my school even though it’s blocked..If anyone know how to get on please e-mail me at meltedhearts90@yahoo.com
Blocking this stuff at a school library is fine, but not fine in a dorm! Especially when this is a school that offers family housing (unnamed graduate and medical school blocks youtube, myspace).
jgbcngnbgfghnngfngfngfngfnfg
stupid you block it then they will just find more and more ways around it and if they are dumb enought to meet the people i say let them theyll learn or they wont.
IT IS THE KIDS THAT ARE STUPID ENOUGH TO TALK TO AN ABSOLUTE STRANGE AND WONT TO TALK AND MEET THEM!!! I HAVE A MYSPACE.. AND I KNOW EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON MY FRIENDS LIST… U CHOOSE WHO UR FRIENDS ARE. IF U DONT KNOW THE PERSON THAT WANTS TO BE UR FRIEND THEN DENY THEM ACCESS TO UR PAGE AND FRIENDLIST. DONT BE MAD AT MYSPACE BE MAD AT THE CHILD BECAUSE THEY ARE THE UNEDUCATED ONES WHO ARE WILLING TO TALK TO ANYONE!! THEY ARE ALSO MOSTLY WHITE KIDS!!! HOW MANY BLACK DO U SEE TALKING TO ONLINE PREDATORS??? EDUCATE YOUR DUMB WHITE KIDS CAUSE THEY ARE THE ONE TALKING TO THESE NASTY MEN!!
You people who are saying “Blocking it is stupid.” well, you’re right and wrong. Blocking it won’t help, but it won’t solve the problem.
So, the people chose a sensible way to ignore myspace and blocked it.
Leaving it open would mean more children browsing myspace instead of doing something important.
This is all I hear through 1/2 of my school time is myspace. Everyone things it’s one huge deal but it isn’t.
Just because YOU have people on your list you know ~All or 1.~ Doesn’t mean others do aswell. Which makes it THEIR fault it’s blocked.
i think that is so retarded.. if we have free time at school i believe that we should be able to get on Myspace at school also! people under 18 can have myspace and be safe.. set your profile to private for only your friends and only add the people you know!!!!
myspace should be allowed and im prepared to pettion
u people suck if you wont allow myspace
most people are old enough to no not to meet people
its not a distraction i say alow my space.com
i agree with kristen
Okay, I agree that MySpace should NOT be allowed at school. Why should schools allow you to use their resources and connection to visit a site like MySpace. There is frankly nothing educational or remotely intelligent about MySpace or it’s users.
Now just because a school doesn’t have to let you use MySpace does NOT mean there aren’t ways around their filters.
http://www.proxymy.com can by pass my Community college’s internet rules & filters so in my Spare time on campus I can access MySpace.
Yeah I also use browse at college to go to myspace while at work. http://www.browseatcollege.com. Also works for youtube etc.
well i need alil help getn on myspace…..we have this program that blocks vertually every thing….and if you all could mail me w/ a program that could bypass it then thnx….
This is ludicrous!
All this is is an interest group (always known for reliable information, I know) composed of dictatorial parents trying to protect their kids from the world. Parents, chat sites for kids exist because the kids can’t turn anywhere else! Kids commit suicide, kids turn to drugs, kids turn to crime. And now your are taking away this alternative?
They are doing this to be social. To keep still at least SOME social health. And you want to remove it?
I have read these comments. I also agree that it needs to be able to be monitored. But banning is not the way to go.
I am a 22 year old republican. I am this way because of my beliefs, and my hard life. Not a life of “oh, I don’t have a lot of money”, but rather “I have needed new shoes for two years now, and I have to live off of canned vegitables, and sometimes not even that for two months”. I never had any social health until I found out “Their are others who have gone through it” and learned what having fun meant. And you are not trying to remove “Potential predators”. You are trying to remove some teenagers only friends. friends from clear over the world. Do you not think of those who have no one, and would rather die then keep living?
You have no idea who you are f***ing with. Grow up. Your children aren’t in bubbles. they are ALWAYS in danger.
Oh, and as my last rant, a family member is more likely to molest your child then somone looking on-line.
what they need to focus on is that this country is about freedom of speech,although not much freedom of speech or anything else as a matter of fact,i may still be a minor but this does get to me that our higher officials will limit the use of internet access by not even looking at what thy are blocking,now we never think just catogorize things by what their “thought” nature may or may not be,but to this point there are a growing number of site unblockers that have helped students get to myspace,this is a fault on their behalf for most of the unblockers let intruders into the main system so that our school files, and our files at that can be veiwed,changed or taken at will,but this arguement goes back to the thought of should we even have the internet at all?
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I don’t know what you all talk about when you are on My Space. But I have tracked what my teenager talks about and it is sex, drinking, drugs, & parties. Just about every My Space site she goes on has pictures of provocative women in all states of underdress, pot leaves swirling around, picutes of cocaine, foul language, and very graphic talk of sex. They should NOT be one these web sites in School.
When you are blocked at school I would suggest using this site: http://www.lameproxy.com
It seems to be the best proxy site out there. And should get you to myspace, etc… Fuck this nazi shit of blocking sites…
ustedes dan lastima son unos cochones de mierda ojala q el q lea esta mierda se muera ,,,malidtos cabrones ,,,,u have no life trying to block myspace from schools but to tell u the truth we will always have infinity proxies bitches ,,,doesnt matter how many are blocked more will keep coming up I am sure of it I am doing some new proxy which will last a while before it gets blocked so c ya mother fuckas ,,,,,,and I am prud of my space q viva TOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL ,,,,,,chao
I am on at school right now and I am subject to predators as soon as I click on “Firefox” so I dont think blocking it does much…as for being off task well I am right now so what’s it matter what site I’m off task on? hahah Ironic how I was searching for a proxy when I came across this
cmon
I really don’t think they should pass this law… I think, that one, it should be a schools choice… and it really doesn’t matter what they block, because there are websites that can get around the block. I’m go to school and I know many students who get around the block easily. And, besides, how is the government going to enforce this one?
how do i get on it when school blocks it.
i think yall should let student be sble to get on myspace
fuck all of yall pussys!!!!!!
u guys cant tel wat 2 do
u wanna no wat im not even from america so get stuffd
that’s not right
Hey, if you wanna play games on any school website just go to http://www.pmgarcade.com on a un-blocked computer and get directions
put it back on please some people can get on at home so please put back in hartford if ya want to talk to me come to bellizzi middle ask for sheaquan
daniels only goverment i want to talk to email loovee43@yahoo.com
This is retarded.. what we do in our spare time is are buisness not yours.! It’s not like were going to porn websites.! You guys suck>! Nobody blocked this site.!!! If we get our sites blocked then you should get yours.! This is the stupidest thing ever.! If we have time that we want to spend ( like rite now for me ) and we want to spend it on Myspace.. or other stuff.. you shouldnt have a say in it.!! Get a life.. and stay off the internet.. you dont rule us kids.! Your probley a loser.. who has no life.. so you decided to make are suck.! well SUCK IT.!
you shouldn’t block myspace that is an entertainment for teens to have fun
It is very stupid. If they ban myspace sites or other (hi5, yahoo, etc) it is easy to access filtered or blocked sites via proxy server or direct online web proxy like: http://www.surfinter.net or http://www.vipsurfer.com ! It is useless…
i think that this is stuipd but that just me saying that i think that kids should fight for myspace
i think this is fuckin gay dat myspace is blocked at skools like omg manthis gay…lol
FUCK THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE LIKE THIS. WERE GONNA GET ON IT ANYWAYYSSSS SO THEY MIGHT AS WELL JUST LET US GET ON..
!!!
man this is bullshit….myspace didnt do shit…were goona get on it anyways
There is a blog about this topic w\email links to your congressman and topics on banning myspace for good: http://www.keepoutofmyspace.blogspot.com/
most kids are to ignorant and will respond like they did here, cussing a lot which destroys any credibility they may have. The adults are winning this battle, Myspace is slowly geting banned ib schools, libraries, churches and soon maybe even homes.
Fuck those who think they can stop us and leaving comments like this is not immature or ignorant it the expression of our rights. Adults are old and out of our generation of the high speed information highway. They just need to stay out of this and let MySpace exist everywhere. Old ass people kids are the future not yall we’ll be the ones making good decisions not shitful decisions like ya’lls. Peace out from da stalker
Oh yeah and there a shitload of ways to get to myspace from alot of place even school you just gota know how to hack into stuff be SMART!
They can use a proxy to bypass this very simple:
http://www.proxycastle.com
uhh, my myspace is TOTALLY good. NOTHING bad on it. now, i dont put ANY information about where i live, or anything i should have up there. its just a place where me and my friends can talk and have profiles. just because stupid people get in trouble and run away with 40+ year old men, then dont even know doesnt mean myspace should be hidden from EVERYONEE. i have a good myspacee and im getting punnished for their doing.
Hey this sucks. Anyone have a proxy that acctually works I have a few..but my school blocked them try them out though.
http://www.surferduderanch.com
http://www.hidebehind.net
im a 13 year old student i have a opinion to voice in this conflict as well, im not retarded i am not gonna meet up with some guy over the internet, Im not gonna look up porn on a computer for 2 resons, its for sad people and the computers get searched, Im not gonna post like where i live or my real name or email adress on the internet. The schools treat us like we are all retarded these days. A failing student isent helped by teachers but shut off, A emotionaly dusturbed child is sent to a alternative learning center aka ALC as a punishment for having abusive parents or such. I just want to look up stuff about WOW occasionally. By allowing me to use the internet freely im not going to get my self kidnaped. We had to watch a video on child abductions at school and they dident talk about how stupid they were acting or anything like that they just repeated the phrase “It was super scary” over and over again.What does this have to do with blocking games and such and looking at myspace when we know were not gonna act like retards. The principal at our school personally went on myspace and started to look up names of student from a-z and who ever had a myspace was suspended for 10 days?!? What does it have to do with school! Now its just HAVING a myspace! If you ask me i think the principal was invading privacy and stalking us online and should not even have the athourity to suspend us.
I think myspace shouldnt be blocked in schools , coz children try to access it in free time so whats the big deal ehh?
I recon kids should get access to site via http://www.myschoolproxy.com and get thru in.works for me
It is useless to block myspace in schools. They can easy access it via http://www.msproxy.net It is working fine.
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