S. 714

Mr. Leahy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the committee on_______

To require the Attorney General to study and report to Congress on the means of controlling the flow of violent, sexually explicit, harassing, offense, or otherwise unwanted material in interactive telecommunications systems.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. STUDY ON MEANS OF RESTRICTING ACCESS TO UNWANTED MATERIAL IN INTERACTIVE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS.

(a) STUDY AND REPORT. -- Not later than 150 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall complete a study and submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives a report containing --
(1) an evaluation of whether current criminal laws governing the distribution of obscenity over computer networks and the creation and distribution of child pornography by means of computers are fully enforceable in interactive media;

(2) an assessment of the Federal, State, and local law enforcement resources that are currently available to enforce those laws;

(3) an evaluation of the technical means available to --

(A) enable parents to exercise control over the information that their children receive and enable other users to exercise control over the commercial and noncommercial information that they receive over interactive telecommunications systems so that they may avoid violent, sexually explicit, harassing, offensive, or otherwise unwanted material; and

(B) promote the free flow of information consistent, with Constitutional values, in interactive media; and

(4) recommendations to encourage the development and deployment of technical means, including hardware and software, to enable parents to exercise control over the information that their children receive and enable other users of exercise control over the information that they receive over interactive telecommunications systems so that they may avoid harassing, violent, sexually explicit, harassing, offensive, or otherwise unwanted material.

(b) CONSULTATION -- In conducting the study and preparing the report under subsection (a), the Attorney General shall consult with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the Department of Commerce.

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