line predators pose a significant threat to the most vulnerable group of internet users, children. Social networking sites continue to increase in popularity and expand in use. Myspace.com, facebook.com and classmates.com are only a few of the many networking sites available. Additionally, there are countless numbers of chat rooms availaNever before in our nation’s history has a technological revolution skirted governmental regulation like the internet. The industrial revolution saw the rise of giant corporations, followed by the legislation of strict corporate and securities law regulations. The newfound mobility of the country led to a more recent communications revolution as telegraph lines were installed along rail road tracks. Suddenly, any person in the country was virtually at the touch of a dial. Again, like a Pavlovian dog, the government followed suit by instituting strict regulations governing the use and control over the means of communication. Then we come to the true information revolution, of which we are still in the early years. The internet has expanded faster and more thoroughly than any of the previous technological revolutions. However, because the internet is not in one particular location, governmental internet regulation has been slow to react. Jurisdictional issues aside, governments have struggled to determine an efficient manner to regulate internet use, while still allowing for the ideas of free speech to flow freely.

Because of the openness of the internet and the anonymity involved, internet regulation is difficult to design and almost impossible to enforce. The internet can be a great learning tool for school students of all ages, but online predators pose a significant threat to the most vulnerable group of internet users, children. Social networking sites continue to increase in popularity and expand in use. Myspace.com, facebook.com and classmates.com are only a few of the many networking sites available. Additionally, there are countless numbers of chat rooms availab

ion as telegraph lines were installed along rail road tracks. Suddenly, any person in the country was virtually at the touch of a dial. Again, like a Pavlovian dog, the government followed suit by instituting strict regulations governing the use and control over the means of communication. Then we come to the true information revolution, of which we are still in the early years. The internet has expanded faster and more thoroughly than any of the previous technological revolutions. However, because the internet is not in one particular location, governmental internet regulation has been slow to react. Jurisdictional issues aside, governments have struggled to determine an efficient manner to regulate internet use, while still allowing for the ideas of free speech to flow freely.

Because of the openness of the internet and the anonymity involved, internet regulation is difficult to design and almost impossible to enforce. The internet can be a great learning tool for school students of all ages, but online predators pose a significant threat to the most vulnerable group of internet users, children. Social networking sites continue to increase in popularity and expand in use. Myspace.com, facebook.com and classmates.com are only a few of the many networking sites available. Additionally, there are countless numbers of chat rooms availa

of which we are still in the early years. The internet has expanded faster and more thoroughly than any of the previous technological revolutions. However, because the internet is not in one particular location, governmental internet regulation has been slow to react. Jurisdictional issues aside, governments have struggled to determine an efficient manner to regulate internet use, while still allowing for the ideas of free speech to flow freely.

Because of the openness of the internet and the anonymity involved, internet regulation is difficult to design and almost impossible to enforce. The internet can be a great learning tool for school students of all ages, but online predators pose a significant threat to the most vulnerable group of internet users, children. Social networking sites continue to increase in popularity and expand in use. Myspace.com, facebook.com and classmates.com are only a few of the many networking sites available. Additionally, there are countless numbers of chat rooms availa

efficient manner to regulate internet use, while still allowing for the ideas of free speech to flow freely.

Because of the openness of the internet and the anonymity involved, internet regulation is difficult to design and almost impossible to enforce. The internet can be a great learning tool for school students of all ages, but online predators pose a significant threat to the most vulnerable group of internet users, children. Social networking sites continue to increase in popularity and expand in use. Myspace.com, facebook.com and classmates.com are only a few of the many networking sites available. Additionally, there are countless numbers of chat rooms availa

line predators pose a significant threat to the most vulnerable group of internet users, children. Social networking sites continue to increase in popularity and expand in use. Myspace.com, facebook.com and classmates.com are only a few of the many networking sites available. Additionally, there are countless numbers of chat rooms available on the internet where a person’s identity can be rendered virtually untraceable. All of these sites and chat rooms pose significant threats to the welfare of children.

Partially in response to the expansion of these types of internet types, Congress passed the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (“COPPA”). [For full text see, http://www.ftc.gov/ogc/coppa1.htm ] COPPA is aimed at websites that offer services directly to children under age 13, but it is also aimed at websites making their services available to children under age 13, despite not being the primary users. COPPA requires such websites to:

• Post a privacy policy with links to the notice provided on the home page and at each area where the site or online service collects personal information from children;
• Detail how the operator of the website uses the personal information and whether it is disclosed to third parties;
• Describe every kind of information collected from children, such as, name, address, e-mail address, hobbies, and age;
• Institute procedures that “protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of personal information collected from children."
• Pro