Law Requiring User Age Verification and Parental Permission

Connecticut lawmakers unveiled legislation Wednesday...

[FourDegreez]

Under the proposal, any networking site that fails to verify ages and obtain parental permission of users under 18 would face civil fines up to $5,000 per violation. Sites would have to check information about parents to make sure it is legitimate. Parents would be contacted directly when necessary.

The bill, which is scheduled for a public hearing on Thursday, would apply to any organized online networking organization, including chat rooms.

Wow. Could such a law be passed, and would it hold up in court? I doubt it, but you never can be too sure. What do you think?

[jimbeetle]

The technology is available. The solution is financially feasible, practically doable, [Attorney General Richard Blumenthal] said. If we can put a man on the moon, we can check ages of people on these Web sites.

Mercury News [macon.com]

What technology? Ask for a credit card number? Snail mail? Telephone?

Well, as long as it's practically doable, guess it should be simple. ;-)

And who defines a "social networking site"? Will there be "enforcement creep"?

[phranque]

Will there be "enforcement creep"?

"once the camel's nose is under the tent, ..."

[rogerd]

It would be very difficult for one US state to enforce such a law. The net result might be for any Web 2.0 business to exit Connecticut.