PRIA Logo™
Title 34, NavyRelease 119-110

§20916 Direction to the Attorney General

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

Last updated Sep 23, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Attorney General must require every sex offender to give the sex offender registry any Internet identifiers they use or plan to use. Those identifiers are protected by the Privacy Act like other National Sex Offender Registry records. The Attorney General will set how and when offenders must keep this information current. The information given under this rule must not be released to the general public. The Attorney General must also make sure offenders are told about any new or changed rules. Social networking website: a site where people make profiles or pages, communicate with others (often many minors), and whose main purpose is social interaction; includes the site's contractors or agents. Internet identifiers: email addresses and other names used to identify or route online messages or posts. Other defined terms keep the same meanings as in the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Full Legal Text

Title 34, §20916

Navy, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Requirement that sex offenders provide certain Internet related information to sex offender registries
The Attorney General, using the authority provided in section 114(a)(7) 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)Timeliness of reporting of information
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)Nondisclosure to general public
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)Notice to sex offenders of new requirements
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)Definitions
(1)Of “social networking website”
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)Of “Internet identifiers”
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)Other terms
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

Sep 23, 2026

Release point: 119-110