Quote:
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn signed new laws Tuesday designed to limit sex offenders' use of technology as a way to find more victims.
One law taking effect Jan. 1 makes it a felony for registered sex offenders to use social networking sites, a move aimed at taking another step toward shutting down an avenue of contact between an offender and victim.
"Obviously, the Internet has been more and more a mechanism for predators to reach out," said Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), a sponsor of the measure and a governor candidate. "The idea was, if the predator is supposed to be a registered sex offender, they should keep their Internet distance as well as their physical distance.
"The object is to protect innocent individuals on the Internet from sex offenders."
One law taking effect Jan. 1 makes it a felony for registered sex offenders to use social networking sites, a move aimed at taking another step toward shutting down an avenue of contact between an offender and victim.
"Obviously, the Internet has been more and more a mechanism for predators to reach out," said Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), a sponsor of the measure and a governor candidate. "The idea was, if the predator is supposed to be a registered sex offender, they should keep their Internet distance as well as their physical distance.
"The object is to protect innocent individuals on the Internet from sex offenders."
Who defines "social networking". Does every "social networking" site now have to carry a logo or a stamp warding off sex offenders?
Quote:
Quinn also signed into law a new offense known as grooming, where a predator over time coaxes a minor into meeting for sexual activities. The law, whose sponsors included Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo), is aimed at closing a loophole in the current sex registration law, he said. It takes effect immediately.
How long before casual agreements on an internet forum or news article comments board becomes "grooming"?
Quote:
Another bill, signed on a busy day where Quinn dealt with dozens of bills, deals with child visitation rights. As of Jan. 1, the law will provide for visitation rights through electronic communication such as telephone, e-mail and instant messaging.
So absent fathers can now be absent with the blessings of the law so long as they shoot the kid an occasional email? How long before custodial parents start denying face to face visits because the law permits the use of email or skype instead?
This all seems a bit overboard to me (like most legislation these days). 95/95 and all that.