Sex Offenders Required to List Status on Facebook

Reported today in Mashable Social Media

Louisiana has enacted a new law requiring sex offenders and child predators to disclose their criminal status on their Facebook and other social networking profiles.

The law — a first of its kind in the U.S. — says sex offenders must include the crime for which they were convicted, the jurisdiction of their conviction, a description of their physical characteristics and a residential address within their profile. It will go into effect August 1.

Facebook already refuses to let registered sex offenders create profiles, according to its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. But this new law, according to State Rep. Jeff Thompson, a Republican who sponsored the bill, is meant to catch any predators who slip through the cracks.

“It provides the same notice to persons in whose home you are injecting yourself via the Internet,” Thompson told CNN. “I challenge you today to walk down the street to see how many people and children are checking Pinterest, Instagram and other social networking sites. If you look at how common it is, that’s 24 hour a day, seven days a week for somebody to interact with your children and your grandchildren.”

Violators of the law face imprisonment with hard labor for a term between two and 10 years without parole, and a fine of up to $1,000. A second conviction will carry a maximum penalty of imprisonment with hard labor for a term between five and 20 years without parole, and a fine up to $3,000, CNN reports.”

Commentary

See ya in the Supreme Court on this one.  There’s going to be a long line in the A.C.L.U. to handle the law suit contesting this law.

I’d rather see Louisiana ban convicted sex offenders from engaging in social media. How about you?