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hr1930 Prisoner Web Site Disclosure Act of 1999 - Would require Web sites that provide communication with prison inmates to disclose the prisoner's crime (then should we also disclose whether the prisoner ever served in congress)
Law of Cyberspace: The Forum ( http://www.ukans.edu/~webmom/forum/forumend.html )
http://www.ukans.edu/~webmom/forum/messages/31.html
Posted by Nate Schmidt on September 03, 1999 at 00:28:17:
There is a bill being introduced in the US House ( HR 1930 IH ) that says: If you have a website that allows visitors to communicate with a prisoner or inmate, then you have to disclose their crime and release date on the site, or subject yourself to a potential civil penalty.
I am not sure what the concern behind this bill is. I suppose it is keeping people like children from interacting with inmates. I have trouble coming up with scenarios where this could be a problem. How would people on the website communicate with inmates? Certainly not on-line, at least not with mass murders (who I hope do not have Internet access). Also not by phone. Maybe pen pals.
While I in no way wish to potentially put people in danger by bridging the gap between a rapist about to be paroled and a unsuspecting citizen, I would have to know more about the risks involved, and what prisoners rights would be infringed. I'll do some research and post additional comments later.