U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 6554. Online Safety and Technology working group

(a) Establishment

Within 90 days after October 10, 2008, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information shall establish an Online Safety and Technology working group comprised of representatives of relevant sectors of the business community, public interest groups, and other appropriate groups and Federal agencies to review and evaluate—

(1) the status of industry efforts to promote online safety through educational efforts, parental control technology, blocking and filtering software, age-appropriate labels for content or other technologies or initiatives designed to promote a safe online environment for children;

(2) the status of industry efforts to promote online safety among providers of electronic communications services and remote computing services by reporting apparent child pornography under section 13032 ^[1] of title 42, including any obstacles to such reporting;

(3) the practices of electronic communications service providers and remote computing service providers related to record retention in connection with crimes against children; and

(4) the development of technologies to help parents shield their children from inappropriate material on the Internet.

(b) Report

Within 1 year after the working group is first convened, it shall submit a report to the Assistant Secretary, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives that—

(1) describes in detail its findings, including any information related to the effectiveness of such strategies and technologies and any information about the prevalence within industry of educational campaigns, parental control technologies, blocking and filtering software, labeling, or other technologies to assist parents; and

(2) includes recommendations as to what types of incentives could be used or developed to increase the effectiveness and implementation of such strategies and technologies.

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the working group.

[1] See References in Text note below.

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