Congress Approves Internet Safety Legislation

The Senate approved the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act as part of the Broadband Data Improvement Act. The measure will bring parents, industry, and teachers together to address comprehensive education for children online. The Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act: requires schools receiving E-Rate funds to offer education regarding online behavior, including social networking, chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response; creates an interagency working group to identify and encourage technologies and initiatives to help parents protect their children from unwanted content; and requires a national public awareness campaign to be conducted by the Federal Trade Commission.