Kentucky Law Tackles Internet Predator Problem
A new bill has passed through Kentucky state legislation and has become a law. Aimed at protecting young internet users, the bill requires sex-offenders to update their email addresses and online screen names with the Kentucky State Police registry (in a similar fashion as they update their home addresses) and also prohibits sex offenders from logging onto social networking sites that are used by children under the age of 18.
I have the same feeling about this law as I do all the others: new laws (or in this case, amendments) to help law enforcement do it’s job is great… but they have to be worded carefully (and this one appears to be as is more of updating an old law to become current with new technology) and they have to not dissuade parents from doing their jobs at home in monitoring their kids.
Monitoring is essential. Every cop will tell you that they aren’t going to arrest their way out of the predator problem, so it’s essential that parents do their part at home. That’s why we created PC Pandora computer monitoring software – to help parents do what they should be doing on their end to ensure the safety of kids online.
Law protects internet users from sexual predators
By Cory Stark, WFIE-TV/ NBC 14MADISONVILLE, KY (WFIE) – Sexual predators have found new victims by simply going online, but now a tough new law is on the books to protect Kentucky families from these internet criminals.
House bill 315 was signed by the government with the goal to protect all internet users from those with criminal intent.
Kentucky law-makers said it’s a critical step that will deal with 21st century dangers.
“Our criminal laws and our protection laws have to keep up with technology,” Senator Jerry Rhoads said.
Instant messenger, facebook, myspace – there is a never-ending list of ways a sexual predator can access internet users, especially children.
Bill 315 addresses those soical networking sites, providing a safety net for families.
“I think all of our families want to feel more secure than they do now,” Rhoads said. “Because we have seen instances where people with criminal intent and even without criminal intent have done harm.”
The bill requires sex-offenders to update their email addresses and online screen names with the Kentucky State Police registry in a similar fashion as they update their home addresses.
It also prohibits sex offenders from logging onto social networking sites that are used by children under the age of 18.
“That’s why the internet is dangerous, because relationships get developed between the predator and the child and before you know it, a child is victimized by an online predator,” Hopkins Co. Attorney Todd P’Pool said.
Another important element of the bill is that it allows law enforcement to seize personal property, such as a computer or car, used by a predator in sexual offenses against children.
“All of these things work very well to protect our children and our families,” P’Pool said.
P’Pool said that nearly all of the cases they see dealing with sexual predators involve the internet.
Any sex offender that fails to register their online identifications will result in a class d felony.
