For Release: Dec. 20, 2006
Contact: J. Tucker Martin or David Clementson
Email: tucker.martin@oag.state.va.us or dclementson@oag.state.va.us
Phone: 804-786-2071
McDonnell Releases Final Report of Youth Internet Safety Task Force
--Public Awareness Campaign, Tougher Sentences Highlight Proposals—
Report Available Online, and in OAG Offices in Roanoke, Abingdon, Norfolk, Richmond and Fairfax
Richmond - Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell released the final report of his Youth Internet Safety Task Force today at an early afternoon press conference in Richmond. McDonnell was joined at the press conference by members of the Task Force, among them representatives of AOL, Capital One, Myspace, Microsoft, and other technology companies, as well as educators, parents, students, law enforcement officers and elected officials. The final report comes after six months of meetings by the Task Force, which consisted of a law enforcement working group, a parents and educators working group, and a technology partners working group.
Speaking about the nearly 100-page report McDonnell noted, “This Task Force distinguished itself by the comprehensive nature of the analysis and proposed solutions. Thanks to the input from technology companies, law enforcement, educators and Virginia families, the proposals we are making today will help keep children safer online. Virginia has been a national leader in promoting and protecting the Internet. Reducing child solicitation, pornography, identity theft and other crimes on the Internet will help keep the information revolution vibrant, which is vital for Virginia’s booming technology industry.”
Click here for the full report of the Youth Internet Safety Task Force.
McDonnell continued noting, “The Task Force found a significant need for greater parental involvement and awareness of the potential dangers for children online. Therefore the top recommendation of the Task Force is the creation of a sustained statewide education, awareness and media campaign. Parents and kids must be more aware of online dangers and they must be equipped with safety solutions.”
Click here for more on the Youth Internet Safety Task Force.
McDonnell further remarked, “In addition to increasing Internet safety awareness, we are also proposing tough new sentences for those engaged in the production and financing of child pornography, and for those who unlawfully solicit children online. Finally, we have identified a number of changes in the law that will aid in the investigation of Internet crimes. I hope Virginians will read the report to learn more about the steps we are recommending to keep Virginia children safe on the Internet.”
Following the unveiling of the final report, McDonnell accepted a check for $100,000 from America Online (AOL) to be used to begin the public awareness campaign that will be initiated in 2007. AOL has a long history of supporting efforts to educate parents about the Internet and encouraging greater awareness of Internet public safety concerns. Mark Hileman, AOL’s Deputy General Counsel, and William Castleberry, AOL’s Director of State Public Policy, presented the check on behalf of AOL. Capital One, also a Virginia corporate citizen and based in McLean, has pledged $20,000 to the effort as well.
Other corporate partners in this effort include The Entertainment Software Association. This group has agreed to work with the Office of the Attorney General to establish a $50,000 pilot program for 50 schools in central Virginia to offer their dynamic Internet safety video game through Web Wise Kids. Finally, The Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association (VCTA) has volunteered to produce and distribute several Internet Safety Public Service Announcements with the Attorney General. Other private entities have also indicated their support for a public awareness and education effort.
Select Proposals of the Youth Internet Safety Task Force
Synopsis: The Attorney General should lead a statewide media campaign funded by public/private partnerships targeting parents and children to increase awareness among parents and children of the dangers posed by online predators, child pornographers and other criminals. The media campaign should include but not be limited to radio ads, billboard ads, public transit ads, full page ads in major Virginia newspapers, and public service announcements for cable and broadcast television and Internet ads. To facilitate this effort an Advisory Board will be created to oversee the media campaign and all public awareness efforts. This Board will consist of public and private educators, concerned parents, students, Internet safety advocates, members of the faith-based community, state legislators, leaders in the technology industry, and law enforcement officials.
Synopsis: Under current law, officers in other states must contact a Virginia law enforcement agency in order to obtain a search warrant for a Virginia ISP. Conversely, Virginia officers must locate officers in other states to execute search warrants on out-of-state ISPs. The end result is a bureaucratic challenge that increases time required for the search warrant to get to the ISP. This proposal will allow out-of-state search warrants to go directly to the ISPs and allow Virginia search warrants to go directly to ISPs in other states.
Synopsis: Federal law authorizes any “court of competent jurisdiction” to issue orders for Electronic Communication Providers located in the United States. Therefore it is recommended that Virginia Code § 19.2-70.3(B) be amended to allow courts to issue orders regarding subscriber information from Electronic Communication Providers located in or outside the Commonwealth.
Synopsis: Virginia currently requires that convicted sex offenders register their physical and mailing address with the state Sex Offender Registry. This proposal will add the registration of all email addresses and other online identities to this requirement. Virginia will be the first state in the country to require this registration. By doing so this will allow Virginia to pass information to social networking sites so that they can prevent any convicted sex offenders from communicating with minors. The penalties for failure to register, or false registration, will be the same as those for the physical and mailing address registration requirement.
Synopsis: The proliferation of child pornography and the ease with which sexual predators interact with children over the Internet are cause for concern. Sentencing disparities and the egregiousness of the offenses warrant statutory and mandatory minimum sentences. This proposal is to amend Virginia Code §18.2-374.1 to include statutory and mandatory minimum sentences for production and financing of child pornography. In addition, it is proposed that Virginia Code §18.2-374.3 be amended to include statutory and mandatory minimum sentences for online solicitation of children. These mandatory minimums should be different for offenses involving child victims below 15 years of age and those involving children 15 to 18 years of age.
Synopsis: The Code of Virginia already provides for the forfeiture of moneys, proceeds and income to third parties from computer crimes as well as computer equipment, software and all personal property used in connection with computer crimes. Additionally, it provides for the seizure and forfeiture of all equipment utilized in the production, distribution, publication, sale, and possession with intent to distribute child pornography. However, forfeiture is not commonly allowed in possession of child pornography cases or online solicitation cases. The group recommends that the statute encompass forfeiture of assets used in these crimes.
Synopsis: The online solicitation statute, Virginia Code § 18.2-374.3, prohibits soliciting someone to engage in sexual conduct which would be a violation of §18.2-370, Taking Indecent Liberties with Children. Section 18.2-370 lists certain sexual conduct and prohibits engaging in such conduct with a child less than 15 years of age. Thus, online solicitation of children between the ages of 15 and 18 for certain sexual conduct is permitted in Virginia. The Law Enforcement Work Group heard evidence that, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, children ages 15‑18 are the group most solicited by sexual predators over the Internet. The Virginia Code, in its current form, simply does not protect this age group. The Code should be amended to eliminate this omission.
Click here for the full report of the Youth Internet Safety Task Force.
The report can also be picked up by any interested Virginian at any of the offices of the Attorney General statewide. Addresses are below, and the report is available starting today.
Richmond- Main Office
900 East Main St.
Richmond, Va 23219
Northern Virginia Regional Office
10555 Main Street
Fairfax, Va 22030
Southwest Regional Office
152 East Main Street, 2W
Abingdon, Va 24210
Western Regional Office
2947 Peters Creek Road
Roanoke, Va 24019
Tidewater Regional Office
500 East Main Street, Suite 808
Norfolk, Va 23510
