Just when we thought the Deleting Online Predators (DOPA) issue was over at the end of the last Congress, it’s back! Remember last year — the bill, which required any library or school receiving federal $$$ to block access to social networking sites and blogs, flew through the House of Representatives with nary a blink but died when it didn’t receive a final vote in the Senate.
The new version, called the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, was introduced this time first in the Senate by Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK). The bill is numbered S. 49. — or DOPA Jr., as dubbed by Andy Carvin of PBS Teacher Source learning.now.
While too few took the bill seriously last year, it passed in the House quickly. We need to watch this closely.