15 U.S.C. § 6554: Online Safety and Technology…

Summary

Within 90 days after October 10, 2008, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information must set up an Online Safety and Technology working group. It must include people from relevant businesses, public interest groups, other appropriate groups, and federal agencies. The group must study industry efforts to protect children online (like education, parental controls, blocking or filtering, and age labels), how electronic communications and remote computing providers report apparent child pornography under section 13032 of title 42 and any obstacles to reporting, providers’ record-keeping for crimes against children, and new technologies to help parents shield kids from inappropriate material. Within 1 year after the group first meets, it must send a detailed report to the Assistant Secretary, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The report must explain the group’s findings, say how effective and how common the strategies and technologies are, and recommend what kinds of incentives could boost their use. Chapter 10 of title 5 does not apply to the working group.

Title 15, §6554

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment

Within 90 days after October 10, 2008, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information shall establish an Online Safety and Technology working group comprised of representatives of relevant sectors of the business community, public interest groups, and other appropriate groups and Federal agencies to review and evaluate—

(1)the status of industry efforts to promote online safety through educational efforts, parental control technology, blocking and filtering software, age-appropriate labels for content or other technologies or initiatives designed to promote a safe online environment for children;

(2)the status of industry efforts to promote online safety among providers of electronic communications services and remote computing services by reporting apparent child pornography under section 13032 of title 42, including any obstacles to such reporting;

(3)the practices of electronic communications service providers and remote computing service providers related to record retention in connection with crimes against children; and

(4)the development of technologies to help parents shield their children from inappropriate material on the Internet.

(b)Report

Within 1 year after the working group is first convened, it shall submit a report to the Assistant Secretary, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives that—

(1)describes in detail its findings, including any information related to the effectiveness of such strategies and technologies and any information about the prevalence within industry of educational campaigns, parental control technologies, blocking and filtering software, labeling, or other technologies to assist parents; and

(2)includes recommendations as to what types of incentives could be used or developed to increase the effectiveness and implementation of such strategies and technologies.

(c)Chapter 10 of title 5 not to apply to working group

Chapter 10 of title 5 shall not apply to the working group.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 13032 of title 42, referred to in the original in subsec. (a)(2), probably should have been a reference to section 227 of Pub. L. 101–647, which was classified to section 13032 of title 42, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 110–401, title V, § 501(b)(1), Oct. 13, 2008, 122 Stat. 4251.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “Chapter 10 of title 5” for “FACA” in heading and “Chapter 10 of title 5” for “The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)” in text.

§6554 Online Safety and Technology Working Group