E-STOP LAW PURGES SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES OF SEX OFFENDERS

wicz.com

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo today announced that more than 3,500 registeredNew York State sex offenders have been purged from social networking sites Facebook and MySpace inthe first database sweep since the state's new Electronic Securing and Targeting of OnlinePredators Act (e-STOP) went into effect.  Under e-STOP - the nation's most comprehensive lawto enhance protections from sexual predators on the Internet - many sexual predators are bannedoutright from using social networking sites on the Internet while on probation or parole. Also, convicted sex offenders must register all of their e-mail addresses, screen names, and otherInternet identifiers with the state.  That information is then made available to socialnetworking sites so they can purge potential predators from their online worlds.  e-STOP,which went into effect last year, was the first law of its kind requiring convicted sex offendersto register their e-mail addresses and other online identifiers with the New York State SexOffender Registry, among other conditions.  The law:

- Requires that sex offenders register all of their Internet accounts andInternet identifiers (e-mail addresses and designations used for chat, instant messaging, socialnetworking, or other similar Internet communication) with the State Division of Criminal JusticeServices.

- Authorizes the Division of Criminal Justice Services to release state sexoffender Internet identifiers to social networking sites and certain other online services, whichmay be used to prescreen or remove sex offenders from using the site's services and notify lawenforcement authorities and other government officials of potential violations of law and threatsto public safety.

- Requires, as a condition of probation or parole, mandatory restrictionson a sex offender's access to the Internet where the offender's victim was a minor, the Internetwas used to commit the offense, or the offender was designated a level 3 (highest level)offender.  Such offenders would be banned from accessing social networking websites, accessingpornographic materials, communicating with anyone for the purpose of promoting sexual relationswith a minor, and communicating, in most circumstances, with anyone under the age of18. 

Laura A. Ahearn, L.M.S.W., Executive Director of Parents for Megan's Law and the CrimeVictims Center, said, Parental controls alone are not going to stop sexual predators from trollingthe Internet in search of unsuspecting children, that's why we need strong laws to protectthem.  Attorney General Cuomo's proactive e-STOP legislation is an effective tool and theremoval of thousands of offenders from sites frequented by children will help prevent sexualvictimization.

Registered New York State sex offenders purged from Facebook and MySpace under e-STOP, bycounty:
ALBANY - 62
ALLEGANY - 22
BRONX - 143
BROOME - 86
CATTARAUGUS - 25
CAYUGA - 36
CHAUTAUQUA - 54
CHEMUNG - 41
CHENANGO - 17
CLINTON - 36
COLUMBIA - 12
CORTLAND - 27
DELAWARE - 6
DUTCHESS - 67
ERIE - 129
ESSEX - 16
FRANKLIN - 24
FULTON - 27
GENESEE - 18
GREENE - 16
HAMILTON - 1
HERKIMER - 34
JEFFERSON - 58
KINGS - 177
LEWIS - 6
LIVINGSTON - 38
MADISON - 24
MONROE - 159
MONTGOMERY - 33
NASSAU - 101
NEW YORK - 118
NIAGARA - 67
ONEIDA - 83
ONONDAGA - 121
ONTARIO - 31
ORANGE - 54
ORLEANS - 19
OSWEGO - 42
OTSEGO - 11
PUTNAM - 15
QUEENS - 186
RENSSELAER - 53
RICHMOND - 35
ROCKLAND - 29
SAINT LAWRENCE - 57
SARATOGA - 59
SCHENECTADY - 32
SCHOHARIE - 6
SCHUYLER - 10
SENECA - 21
STEUBEN - 65
SUFFOLK - 143
SULLIVAN - 25
TIOGA - 21
TOMPKINS - 18
ULSTER - 51
WARREN - 39
WASHINGTON - 32
WAYNE - 38
WESTCHESTER - 84
WYOMING - 16
YATES - 13
Out of state or invalid zip code – 444
(New York)