Free Republic

ALBANY (1010 WINS/AP) -- The state Assembly has given final approval to legislation intended to protect teenagers who use social-networking sites from online predators. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo introduced the Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act in January. It requires registered sex offenders to provide online screen names to state officials. They would share the identities with Web hangouts like MySpace.com and Facebook.com, who are authorized to prescreen or remove offenders. It also restricts use of the Internet by certain sex offenders on probation and parole. The Assembly also passed legislation that would increase criminal penalties for using...

Yu Ling's eyes well up and her hand instinctively pats her heart at the mention of her husband. Wang Xiaoning, her partner of 27 years, has been sitting in a Chinese prison since September 2002. He is serving a 10-year sentence for using the Internet to advocate democracy. Two weeks ago, Mrs. Yu, 55, came to the U.S. to find a lawyer and sue Yahoo Inc. She blames the Sunnyvale, Calif., search giant for providing evidence that helped Chinese authorities convict Mr. Wang, 57. "I have to help my husband," she explains through a translator. "Yahoo is wrong. ... I...

Following revelations that a high-ranking member of Wikipedia's bureaucracy used his cloak of anonymity to lie about being a professor of religion, the free Internet encyclopedia plans to ask contributors who claim such credentials to identify themselves. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said in interviews by phone and instant message Wednesday from Japan that contributors still would be able to remain anonymous. But he said they should only be allowed to cite some professional expertise in a subject if those credentials have been verified. "We always prefer to give a positive incentive rather than absolute prohibition, so that people can contribute...

ASSEMBLY, No. 1327 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 212th LEGISLATURE   PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2006 SESSION     Sponsored by: Assemblyman PETER J. BIONDI District 16 (Morris and Somerset)         SYNOPSIS      Makes certain operators of interactive computer services and Internet service providers liable to persons injured by false or defamatory messages posted on public forum websites.   CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As introduced.    An Act concerning the posting of certain Internet messages and supplementing chapter 38A of Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes.        Be It Enacted by the Senate...