E-MAIL BILL FOR OFFENDERS (Schumer, McCain proposal aims to rid social networking sites like MySpace.com of sexual predators)

Newsday/Brandon Bain

Senators Charles Schumer and John McCain announced yesterday they will introduce legislationnext year that would force sex offenders to register their e-mail addresses with authorities, whichthe lawmakers say will aid in tracking offenders on social networking sites like MySpace.com. Underthe proposal, sex offenders would be required to register their active e-mail address with paroleor probation officers. Online companies, such as social networking sites, would check an e-mailaddress of a new member against the offender registry, which would reveal whether the member was asex offender. An offender caught using an unregistered e-mail account would be violating probationor parole terms and could be returned to prison. The legislation is expected to be introduced inJanuary.

(New York)