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By
Robyn Weisman, www.NewsFactor.com
Wednesday
July 25 01:10 PM EDT
Two co-sponsors of a bill
that would force the Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers (ICANN (news
- web
sites)) to issue a "dot-kids" top-level
domain (TLD) suffix held a press conference on Capitol
Hill Tuesday to generate support for the measure.
U.S. Representatives John
Shimkus (R-Illinois) and Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts)
criticized ICANN for rejecting the dot-kids TLD last
November. They also urged their fellow House members to
support the bill, which was first introduced June 28th.
"There's usually a
kids' section in the library," Shimkus told
reporters. "We're attempting to provide a kids'
section of the Internet."
"[ICANN] had their
opportunity," he added. "I'm not willing to wait
on them any longer."
Just for Dot-Kids
The Dot Kids Domain Name
Act of 2001 (HR 2417) would create a basic structure and
regulations for a dot-kids TLD, requiring that the
newly-established TLD be publicized and that parents be
educated in how to filter inappropriate content. The act
would also charge the Department of Justice (news
- web
sites) (DOJ) with preventing unscrupulous or criminal
elements from preying on kids who access Web sites using
the new TLD.
"Dot-kids is a great
example of what can happen when everyone's top priority is
the protection of our children," Illinois state
attorney general Jim Ryan said in a prepared statement
issued on July 17th. "In today's world, protecting
our kids on the Internet is vitally important."
If the bill were passed
into law, ICANN would be forced to develop a dot-kids TLD
within the subsequent 30 days. In addition, the
legislation would prevent ICANN from establishing any new
TLDs until dot-kids was fully implemented.
Skeptical Reaction
Rachel Terrace, an analyst
with Jupiter Media Metrix, told NewsFactor Network that
she is skeptical that Shimkus' and Markey's bill would
bring any improvements, either in protecting children or
steering them to suitable content.
"My gut reaction is
that [the bill] seems unnecessary and duplicative because
COPA (the Child Online Protection Act) already has very
strict content and data [regulations] for kids under the
age of 13," Terrace told NewsFactor. That includes
the types of data that can be collected from children
without a parent's permission, and the type of content
allowed to be sent to them, Terrace added.
The COPA commission issued
a report last year that abstained from offering approval
to the dot-kids suffix.
"Also, our research
shows that most children, tweens and under, actually surf
with their parents, either directly or while [the parents]
are in the same room," said Terrace. "Parents
are already closely monitoring their children's
activities, so I don't think that [passing this
legislation] will allay fears any more than what already
exists."
Precursor to Privacy
Legislation
Kevin Noonan, vice
president of Internet and media research at the Yankee
Group, told NewsFactor that the battle over the dot-kids
suffix could prove to be a precursor to privacy
legislation.
"I have a feeling that
a vote on this would be very close," Noonan said.
"It's a great idea in theory; however, getting the
government to legislate it is more problematic than it
seems."
Noonan said he could
understand ICANN's reasons for sidestepping the dot-kids
TLD; the organization would face liability issues and the
daunting task of patrolling dot-kids Web sites to ensure
their appropriateness.
"But let's not forget
that children who are online today will be the leaders of
tomorrow," Noonan said. "They're in a sense a
test lab, and it's important that we understand and work
to protect them without [prompting] an overreaching Big
Brother effect."
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