Wired News Report

The House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation Thursday that would create new laws and increase prison sentences for anyone using the Internet to engage children in sexual activity or to send or receive child pornography. \n Representative Bill McCollum, the Florida Republican who sponsored the measure, said use of the Internet by more than 10 million children has contributed to a "chilling mix" that has resulted in "far too many terrible tragedies that steal innocence from our children and create scars for life." \n Among its Internet provisions, the bill would: \n Establish fines and up to five years in prison for anyone using the mail, Internet, or other means to contact a minor for criminal sexual activity. \n Create a new offense, punishable by a fine or up to five years in prison, for knowingly transmitting, printing, publishing, or reproducing the name, address, telephone number, email address, or other identifying information about a minor for any illegal sexual activity. \n Prohibit unsupervised access to the Internet by federal prisoners, encourage state officials to take similar steps, and require the US attorney general to survey state policies. \n Require Internet service providers to report knowledge of child abuse or exploitation. \n Make possession of child pornography illegal. Current law allows individuals to legally possess up to two items. \n The Clinton administration said it supports the bill, which now moves on to the Senate.