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Cybertelecom Federal Internet Law & Policy An Educational Project |
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DNS: US :: dot Kids | |
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July 27, 2012
Kids.Us website: "The kids.us domain name registry was created in 2003 as a result of the Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act of 2002, PL 107-317, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ317/pdf/PLAW-107publ317.pdf. It was the intent of the United States government to create a safe haven for children on the Internet within the official country-code of the United States. No one at the time could have possibly anticipated the enormous growth of the Internet, interactive technologies and social media following the Act's passage.
"Today, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of sites containing high quality content aimed at children under the age of 13. Additionally, parents have a multitude of tools at their disposal including, software applications, web browsers, and parental control features from their Internet Service Providers, hosting providers and third party applications, to help keep their children safe on-line.
"As a result of the changed landscape of the Internet and the many other tools that parents now have available to them to protect their children's online experience, effective July 27, 2012, the Department of Commerce suspended the kids.us If you are a registrant or holder of a kids.us name, please contact your registrar for further information about the suspension of this domain. You can also find additional information about the suspension at http://www.ntia.doc.gov.
See NTIA Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract
(Jun. 27, 2012) (contractor Neustar)
Derived from Internet Domain Names: Background and Policy Issues, CRS Report to Congress
In the 107th Congress, legislation sought to create a "kids-friendly top level domain name" that would contain only age-appropriate content. The Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act of 2002 was signed into law on December 4, 2002 (P.L. 107-317) and authorizes the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to require the .us registry operator (currently NeuStar) to establish, operate, and maintain a second level domain within the .us TLD that is restricted to material suitable for minors. In the 108th Congress, P.L. 108-21 (PROTECT Act), contains a provision (Sec. 108: Misleading Domain Names on the Internet) which makes it a punishable crime to knowingly use a misleading domain name with the intent to deceive a person into viewing obscenity on the Internet. Increased penalties are provided for deceiving minors into viewing harmful material. In the 109th Congress, H.R. 4472, passed by the House on March 8, 2006, would increase the maximum sentence from four years to 20 years for deceiving minors into viewing harmful material.
Dot Kids Domain
One of the developments in the .us ccTLD was the passage of the Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act designed to create a kid friendly domain .kids.us. The goal of this effort is to use this domain a bit like a zoning ordinance indicating that in this space only certain activities will be permitted. Early reports are that the Dot Kids zone resembles a bit of a deserted theme part – very few Internet sites have been established.
Authority: .kids.us falls under the authority of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the Department of Commerce.[1] As Neustar is the designated administrator of the .us domain, responsibility for the administration of .kids.us has fallen upon Neustar.
Restriction : .kids.us shall provide "access only to material that is suitable for minors and not harmful to minors."[2] The standards for content and the enforcement mechanism are handled by the administrator of .us, currently Neustar, and not by NTIA. New content must be submitted to the administrator for review.
The administrator is required to file a report with Congress on an annual basis concerning compliance.[3]
Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107-317 (Dec. 2, 2002)
[1] 47 U.S.C. § 902(c)(3)(C).
[2] 47 U.S.C. § 157(a).
[3] 47 U.S.C. § 157(h).
Background
S.2537 Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act of 2002
A bill to facilitate the creation of a new, second-level Internet domain within the United States country code domain that will be a haven for material that promotes positive experiences for children and families using the Internet, provides a safe online environment for children, and helps to prevent children from being exposed to harmful material on the Internet, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen Dorgan, Byron L | Text | Summary and Status |Hearings
- May 6, 2004 House Energy and Commerce "The 'Dot Kids' Internet Domain: Protecting Children Online"
- September 12, 2002 Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation "Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act of 2002"
- Nov 1 2001 The Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet legislative hearing on H.R. 2417, the "Dot Kids Name Act of 2001." Witnesses will be by invitation only., 10:00 a.m. in 2123 RHOB
- May 6 House Hearing The 'Dot Kids' Internet Domain: Protecting Children Online
| Dot Kids Domain |
One of the developments in the .us ccTLD was the passage of the Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act designed to create a kid friendly domain .kids.us. The goal of this effort is to use this domain a bit like a zoning ordinance indicating that in this space only certain activities will be permitted. Early reports are that the Dot Kids zone resembles a bit of a deserted theme part – very few Internet sites have been established. |
Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107-317 (Dec. 2, 2002) [1] 47 U.S.C. § 902(c)(3)(C). [2] 47 U.S.C. § 157(a). [3] 47 U.S.C. § 157(h). |