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Sen. "Series of Tubes" Stevens introduces DOPA II: the sequel

Andy Carvin says,

It didn’t take long for at least one member of Congress to reintroduce legislation aimed at further restricting Internet access at schools and libraries. As reported by ZDNet and Linda Braun of the ALA, Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska has introduced what they describe as “identical language” to DOPA, the Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006. If DOPA had become law, it would have forced schools and libraries receiving E-Rate subsidies to block access to commercial interactive services, including online social networks and blogging tools. But the bill expired when the Dems took over Congress.

Stevens re-introduced the bill the first day of the new session, and he added some new twists to it, according to ZDNet:

“Stevens didn’t stop there, packaging his reincarnation of DOPA with another failed proposal that would require all sexually explicit sites to be labeled as such, according to a copy of the bill obtained by CNET News.com. Although it has encountered opposition from civil libertarians, the idea gained bipartisan support within Congress, passing unanimously as an amendment to a massive communications bill that ultimately died.”

From what I can tell, DOPA Jr. doesn’t have a title yet, nor any cosponsors, though it’s referenced as Senate Bill 49, or S. 49. The Library of Congress hasn’t posted the text of the bill yet, but it has this brief summary:

“Title: A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prevent the carriage of child pornography by video service providers, to protect children from online predators, and to restrict the sale or purchase of children’s personal information in interstate commerce.”

Link to post on Andy’s personal blog, and here’s an updated post he wrote for a PBS blog he authors: Link.

Previously:

  • Sen. Stevens’ hilariously awful explanation of the internet
  • Deleting Online Predators Act is dead, for now
  • More BB archive posts about DOPA
  • More about “the internet is a series of tubes”

    Reader comments: Gorc Kat says,

    “..and to restrict the sale or purchase of children’s personal information in interstate commerce.” Personally, I welcome that snippet- imagine the sudden influx of 13 year olds to websites that previously sold users info to ad companies. Like Peter Pan, I’ll be a boy forever!

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