Fox News reported on Friday that Pennsylvania Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick has introduced a bill in the House that would ban minors from accessing 'social networking' websites.  Any web site that "allows users to create web pages or profiles that provide information about themselves and are available to other users; and offers a mechanism for communication with other users, such as a forum, chat room, e-mail, or instant messenger" would be covered by the law.

The bill, called the 'Deleting Online Predators Act' would also require the FCC to establish a blacklist of "commercial social networking web sites and chat rooms that have been shown to allow sexual predators easy access to personal information of, and contact with, children".

Fox quotes Fitzpatrick as saying "Sites like Myspace and Facebook have opened the door to a new online community of social networking between friends, students and colleagues.  However, this new technology has become a feeding ground for child predators that use these sites as just another way to do our children harm."

So, what do you think?  Is this a good law?  Should we do this?  Or is it another crackpot scheme designed to take away your rights?  Tell us, in the forums!

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