Facebook now More Accessible to Sex Offenders, Parents Beware
Parents' nightmares may have finally come to life. Sex offenders in Indiana can now use Facebook as well as other social networking websites. The federal court had ruled the 2008 Indiana law banning sex offenders from social networking sites to be unconstitutional.
According to The Washington Times, the ruling came from the 7th U.S. Circuit of Appeals, when the court found the law to be too broad and illegally encompassing.
CNN reports that this is due in part to the current practice wherein offenders are still restricted by the ban from using social networking websites even though the sentence for their crime had been served. In addition, offenders who are no longer under probation are still covered by the law.
And instead of protecting children from potential cyber-harm, CBS News reports that the unconstitutional law was only serving the interest of others while impeding the potentially innocent use of the medium.
Currently, Star Tribune reports that laws penalizing inappropriate sexual acts involving children are already in effect.
However, this is not the end of the law, as USA Today reports that the matter will be reviewed to create a new law that is more suited, specific, and tailor-fitted to address the situation.
"We will study this issue again and make a new proposal," Waterman said in a statement to USA Today. "Then, it will be up to the courts once more to decide whether it's narrow enough."
For those who may be worried about the possible consequence this may bring, a better way to deal with the situation is to give proper guidelines to children when it comes to the use of social networking sites.
There is potential danger anywhere one goes, so it does help to arm one's self and the children, regardless of the unconstitutional ruling for laws such as this.