CIPA and the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) of 2006

Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA) has introduced a bill entitled the "Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006" that would expand the Children's Internet Protection Act ("CIPA") to require E-rate recipients to also protect minors from commercial social networking websites (e.g., the popular MySpace) and chat rooms. Although the proposed bill is in the early stages of review by the House, and may prove unenforceable as currently written, it does address an increasingly serious concern for the safety of minors using the Internet. As such, the bill's provisions should be reviewed carefully by schools, libraries, and service providers.

For schools, the bill would expand upon CIPA's Internet Safety Policy certifications by adding language to prohibit "...access to a commercial social networking website or chat room through which minors - (aa) may easily access or be presented with obscene or indecent material; (bb) may easily be subject to unlawful sexual advances, unlawful requests for sexual favors, or repeated offensive comments of a sexual nature from adults; or (cc) may easily access other material that is harmful to minors..."

Similar language is included for libraries with the slight addition that the prohibition for access by minors "without parental authorization." The bill also includes the establishment of an FCC advisory board and a requirement for FTC consumer alerts. A copy of the proposed bill is available at DOPA.

May 26th Bond Commission agenda

As of 4:00 PM, this afternoon, the agenda had not been published for next Friday's meeting.

On Monday check the blog or go directly to the CT Bond Commission agenda link - http://www.opm.state.ct.us/budget/Capital/SBCAgenda.htm.

Hopefully, the $5M in Infrastructure funds will be on the agenda.

Join your colleagues from around the country in signing a petition in support of the Enhancing Education Through Technology program!

The educational technology community is circulating this petition to highlight the breadth of support for the EETT program. The petition is in the form of a resolution and calls for Congress to restore funding for the EETT program to a minimum of $496 million, its FY 05 funding level, to meet the nation’s educational needs and help ensure America’s competitiveness.

To read and sign the petition, go to : http://www.missioncriticalcampaign.org/ and scroll down the page.

As of Friday, May 19th., more than 6,000 educators across the country have signed the petition. Fewer than 100 people from CT have registered. Please do your part...it will only a take a few moments.