Ensign proposes websites for children free of predators

Erin Neff

Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002 | 11:15 a.m.

A proposal by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., to create an Internet domain for kid-friendly websites passed the Senate on Wednesday night.

Ensign's Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act of 2002 creates a protected place on the Internet under the ".kids.us" subdomain. Ensign envisions the subdomain as akin to the children's section at the library to allow children to safely learn on the Internet free from unsuitable material.

"Children are clearly not safe on the Internet," Ensign said.

The Dot Kids bill requires the Commerce Department to establish the subdomain on the Internet and requires the department to work with other federal agencies to prevent children from being targeted by predators visiting ".kids.us" subdomain sites.

Ensign has voted on measures to protect children on the Internet before.

When he was a congressman, Ensign supported the 1996 Telecom Act and two subsequent laws, all three of which contained provisions to protect children who surf online.

All three were overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

But Ensign is confident that his bill "strikes a careful balance between safeguarding children on the Internet while not infringing on First Amendment rights."

His bill makes use of the dot kids subdomain voluntary in an attempt to withstand constitutional challenges.

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, which passed a previous version by a bipartisan majority.