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Title 34 — NavyRelease 119-73

§20916 Direction to the Attorney General

Title 34 › Subtitle Subtitle II— - Protection of Children and Other Persons › Chapter CHAPTER 209— - CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFETY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND NOTIFICATION › Part Part A— - Sex Offender Registration and Notification › § 20916

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Attorney General must require every registered sex offender to give the sex-offender registry any internet IDs they use or will use, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Those internet ID records are protected by the Privacy Act like other registry files. The Attorney General must set the timing and method for keeping that information current, must keep the information from being disclosed to the public, and must notify each offender when reporting rules change. A "social networking website" means a site where people make profiles or pages to share information, can communicate with others (and likely many minors), and whose main purpose is online social interaction; it also covers the site’s contractors or agents. "Internet identifiers" means email addresses and other labels used to identify users or route internet messages or posts. Any term defined in SORNA has the same meaning here.

Full Legal Text

Title 34, §20916

Navy — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Attorney General, using the authority provided in section 114(a)(7) 11 See References in Text note below. of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act [34 U.S.C. 20914(a)(7)], shall require that each sex offender provide to the sex offender registry those Internet identifiers the sex offender uses or will use of any type that the Attorney General determines to be appropriate under that Act [34 U.S.C. 20901 et seq.]. These records of Internet identifiers shall be subject to the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) to the same extent as the other records in the National Sex Offender Registry.
(b)The Attorney General, using the authority provided in section 112(b) of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act [34 U.S.C. 20912(b)], shall specify the time and manner for keeping current information required to be provided under this section.
(c)The Attorney General, using the authority provided in section 118(b)(4) of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act [34 U.S.C. 20920(b)(4)], shall exempt from disclosure all information provided by a sex offender under subsection (a).
(d)The Attorney General shall ensure that procedures are in place to notify each sex offender of changes in requirements that apply to that sex offender as a result of the implementation of this section.
(e)(1)As used in this Act, the term “social networking website”—
(A)means an Internet website—
(i)that allows users, through the creation of web pages or profiles or by other means, to provide information about themselves that is available to the public or to other users; and
(ii)that offers a mechanism for communication with other users where such users are likely to include a substantial number of minors; and
(iii)whose primary purpose is to facilitate online social interactions; and
(B)includes any contractors or agents used by the website to act on behalf of the website in carrying out the purposes of this Act.
(2)As used in this Act, the term “Internet identifiers” means electronic mail addresses and other designations used for self-identification or routing in Internet communication or posting.
(3)A term defined for the purposes of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act [34 U.S.C. 20901 et seq.] has the same meaning in this Act.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (e)(3), is title I of Pub. L. 109–248, July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 590, which is classified principally to this subchapter. section 114(a)(7) of the Act was redesignated section 114(a)(8) of the Act by Pub. L. 114–119, § 6(a)(1)(A), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 22. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 2006 Act note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables. This Act, referred to in subsec. (e), is Pub. L. 110–400, Oct. 13, 2008, 122 Stat. 4224, known as the Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2008, and also known as the KIDS Act of 2008, which enacted this section and section 20917 of this title, amended section 20981 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under section 10101 and 20981 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 2008 Act note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act of 2008, also known as the KIDS Act of 2008, and not as part of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act which comprises this subchapter, or as part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 which comprises this chapter. Section was formerly classified to section 16915a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

34 U.S.C. § 20916

Title 34 — Navy

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73