Cybertelecom Federal Internet Law & Policy An Educational Project

Online Safety :: FCC

Broadband Plan Recommendations

• Recommendation 4.19 The federal government should create an interagency working group to coordinate child online safety and literacy work, facilitate information sharing, ensure consistent messaging and outreach and evaluate the effectiveness of governmental efforts. The working group should consider launching a national education and outreach campaign involving governments, schools and caregivers.
• FCC Chairman Genachowski To Outline Benefits Of Children And Families Of National Broadband Plan, Sesame Street's Elmo To Join Chairman In Launching Series Of Child-Focused Events.  Advisory. News Media Contact: Janice Wise,  MB TXT

Elmo Wants Internet To Be Fast, Fast, Fast

Child Media NOI

News Release: Word | Acrobat

Washington, D.C.: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) asking how children can be served and protected and parents can be further empowered in the new digital media landscape. The NOI comes almost 20 years after enactment of the Children's Television Act and follows the Commission's recently issued Child Safe Viewing Act Report, which examined parental control technologies for video and audio programming.

Children live in a dramatically different media environment from the one their parents and grandparents grew up in decades ago. From television to mobile devices to the Internet, electronic media today offer an array of opportunities to, among other things, access educational content, communicate with family and peers, and acquire the skills and technological literacy necessary to compete in a global economy. However, digital media can also pose risks of harm to children, including exposing them to exploitative advertising, inappropriate content, and cyberbullying, as well as potentially contributing to childhood obesity and other negative health impacts. The NOI asks to what extent children are using electronic media today, the benefits and risks this presents, and the ways in which parents, teachers, and children can help reap the benefits while minimizing the risks of using these technologies.

The NOI also recognizes that a wealth of academic research and studies exists on these issues and asks commenters to identify additional data and studies, and to indicate where further study is needed. The NOI additionally seeks comment about the effectiveness of media literacy efforts in enabling children to enjoy the benefits of media while minimizing the potential harms. The NOI recognizes that other federal agencies are addressing similar issues, at least with respect to online safety, and asks what the Commission can do to assist with these efforts. The deadline for filing comments is 60 days after publication in the federal register and the deadline for filing reply comments is 90 days after publication in the federal register.

Action by the Commission October 23, 2009, by Notice of Inquiry (FCC 09-94). Chairman Genachowski, Commissioners Copps, McDowell, Clyburn and Baker issuing separate statements. MB Docket No. 09-194.

10/23/09 Commission Seeks Input on Empowering Parents and Protecting Children in an Evolving Media Landscape.
NOI: Word | Acrobat
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Genachowski Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Clyburn Statement: Word | Acrobat
Baker Statement: Word | Acrobat

The FCC has extended the time to file comments on issues related to children's use of electronic media. Comments are now due February 24, 2010 and reply comments are due March 26, 2010. Order

PREPARED REMARKS OF FCC CHAIRMAN JULIUS GENACHOWSKI, "DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY: A BROADBAND PLAN FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES". OCH . National Museum of American History, Washington, DC TXT  

FCC CHAIRMAN GENACHOWSKI ANNOUNCES CHILDREN'S AGENDA FOR DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY. Chairman outlines recommendations in national broadband plan to help children and empower parents. News Release. News Media Contact: Janice Wise at 8165, email: Janice.Wise OCH TXT

Child Safe Viewing Act

S.602 Child Safe Viewing Act
Title: A bill to develop the next generation of parental control technology.
Sponsor: Sen Pryor, Mark L. [AR] (introduced 2/15/2007)   Cosponsors (6)
Latest Major Action: 12/2/2008 Signed by President.
Senate Reports: 110-268

8/31/09 Commission Implements Child Safe Viewing Act by Adopting Report on Parental Control Technologies.
Report: Word | Acrobat
Genachowski Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Clyburn Statement: Word | Acrobat
Baker Statement: Word | Acrobat

3/2/09 Commission Implements Child Safe Viewing Act by Seeking Comment on Parental Control Technologies for Video or Audio Programming. NOI: Word | Acrobat Comments Due Aprl 16; May 19, 2009

This Notice of Inquiry ("NOI") implements the Child Safe Viewing Act of 2007, adopted December 2, 2008, which directs the Commission to initiate a proceeding within 90 days after the date of enactment to examine "the existence and availability of advanced blocking technologies that are compatible with various communications devices or platforms." Congress defined "advanced blocking technologies" as "technologies that can improve or enhance the ability of a parent to protect his or her child from any indecent or objectionable video or audio programming, as determined by such parent, that is transmitted through the use of wire, wireless, or radio communications." Congress's intent in adopting the Act was to spur the development of the "next generation of parental control technology." In conducting this proceeding, we will examine blocking technologies that may be appropriate across a wide variety of distribution platforms and devices, can filter language based upon information in closed captioning, can operate independently of pre-assigned ratings, and may be effective in enhancing a parent's ability to protect his or her child from indecent or objectionable programming, as determined by the parent. The Act directs the Commission to issue a report to Congress no later than August 29, 2009 detailing our findings in this proceeding.

Child Safe Viewing Act of 2007 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)
One Hundred Tenth Congress of the United States of America AT THE SECOND SESSION Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, the third day of January, two thousand and eight An Act

To develop the next generation of parental control technology.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Child Safe Viewing Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. EXAMINATION OF ADVANCED BLOCKING TECHNOLOGIES AND EXISTING PARENTAL EMPOWERMENT TOOLS.

(a) Inquiry Required- Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall initiate a notice of inquiry to consider measures to examine--

(1) the existence and availability of advanced blocking technologies that are compatible with various communications devices or platforms;

(2) methods of encouraging the development, deployment, and use of such technology by parents that do not affect the packaging or pricing of a content provider's offering; and

(3) the existence, availability, and use of parental empowerment tools and initiatives already in the market.

(b) Content of Proceeding- In conducting the inquiry required under subsection (a), the Commission shall consider advanced blocking technologies that--

(1) may be appropriate across a wide variety of distribution platforms, including wired, wireless, and Internet platforms;

(2) may be appropriate across a wide variety of devices capable of transmitting or receiving video or audio programming, including television sets, DVD players, VCRs, cable set top boxes, satellite receivers, and wireless devices;

(3) can filter language based upon information in closed captioning;

(4) operate independently of ratings pre-assigned by the creator of such video or audio programming; and

(5) may be effective in enhancing the ability of a parent to protect his or her child from indecent or objectionable programming, as determined by such parent.

(c) Reporting- Not later than 270 days after the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue a report to Congress detailing any findings resulting from the inquiry required under subsection (a).

(d) Definition- In this section, the term `advanced blocking technologies' means technologies that can improve or enhance the ability of a parent to protect his or her child from any indecent or objectionable video or audio programming, as determined by such parent, that is transmitted through the use of wire, wireless, or radio communication.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.

Senate Report 110-268: CHILD SAFE VIEWING ACT OF 2007 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION on S. 602

BACKGROUND AND NEEDS

Section 551 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, also known as the Parental Choice in Television Programming Act, directs the FCC to adopt rules that require certain televisions or devices capable of receiving television signals to `be equipped with a feature designed to enable viewers to block display of all programs with a common rating . . . .' Following the adoption of this provision, the broadcast, cable, and movie industries jointly created a voluntary system for rating television content, often referred to as the TV Parental Guidelines. These guidelines were then recognized by the FCC as meeting the requirements of section 551 and incorporated into rules mandating the adoption of V-Chip technology in certain televisions and devices capable of receiving television signals.

Subsequent to the FCC's approval of the ratings, a study conducted in 2000 by the Annenberg Public Policy Center provided 110 families with television sets with V-Chips. Roughly half were given special training on how to program the V-Chip as well as detailed information about the meaning of television ratings, while the other half received no special training in how to use the V-Chip. After one year, the Annenberg study found that only 8 percent of these families had the V-Chip programmed and were actively using it. Only 6 percent of families could name one of the ratings for children's programs and only 4 percent of families could identify that a `D' content rating identified suggestive dialogue.

Similarly, a 2001 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) estimated that only 7 percent of parents have used the V-Chip, despite the fact that 40 percent of American families had at least one V-Chip-enabled television. There has been only a modest improvement in these usage figures over time. In 2004, the KFF found that 15 percent of parents have used the V-Chip. In 2007, the KFF found that 16 percent of parents say they have used the V-Chip to block objectionable programming. Although 82 percent of parents now say that they have purchased a new television since January 1, 2000, more than half (57 percent) are not aware that they have a V-Chip.

In 2004, the FCC received a request from thirty-nine members of the House of Representatives asking that the agency undertake an inquiry on television violence. In response, the FCC issued a Notice of Inquiry, seeking public input on a variety of matters related to the issue of violent television content. The FCC received hundreds of filings from interested parties and individuals. On April 25, 2007, the FCC released its report on violent programming and its impact on children. In the report, the FCC found that, on balance, research provides strong evidence that exposure to violence in the media can increase aggressive behavior in children, at least in the short term.

Section 551(e) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. 330(c)), also requires the FCC to ensure that blocking capability continues to be available to consumers as technology advances. Specifically, that section requires the FCC to `take such action as the Commission determines appropriate' to assess alternative program blocking technologies and to expand the V-Chip requirement, if necessary, to facilitate the use of alternative technologies that may not rely on common ratings. Since that time, however, the FCC has taken no significant action to consider the viability or availability of alternative blocking technologies that could be used by parents to shield children from inappropriate content. In that regard, S. 602 would require the Commission to gather information about the availability of `alternative blocking technologies' and to consider measures, other than proposals affecting the price or packaging of content, to encourage the development, deployment, and use of such technology. In recognition of the fact that television content is currently being made available over the Internet and over mobile devices, the legislation also requires the FCC to consider alternative blocking technologies that may be appropriate across a wide variety of content distribution platforms.

Sen. Mark Pryor

Press Release: Pryor Bill to Protect Children from Indecency on TV and Internet Heads to White House Nov. 18, 2008 ( "With over 500 channels and video streaming, parents could use a little help monitoring what their kids watch when they are not in the room," said Pryor. "Today's technology to protect children from indecency goes above and beyond the capabilities of the V-Chip. It's time for the FCC to take a fresh look at how the market can empower parents with more tools to choose appropriate programming for their children. This bill is a pragmatic, sensible approach where parents, kids and technology can all benefit." )

Press Release Pryor Targets Technology Advancements to Expand Education Opportunities for Minorities, Protect Children from Indecency "Second, Pryor introduced the Child Safe Viewing Act to expand parents' ability to protect their children from inappropriate scenes and language online, on television and other viewing devices. The Senator said his bill will require the Federal Communications Commission to fulfill its obligation under the 1996 Telecommunications Act to continuously review and implement blocking technology as it is developed. As part of the 1996 law, Congress required television manufacturers to embed the V-Chip within televisions to allow parents to filter some content according to a rating system. However, the FCC has failed to act since then. "Today's technology to protect children from indecency goes above and beyond the capabilities of the V-Chip. And with over 500 channels and video streaming, parents could use a little help," Pryor said. "The time for the FCC to act on behalf of our children is now. My legislation will help make sure it happens.""

TV Guardian Demo

Federal Activitry

• FCC ANNOUNCES AGENDA AND PANELISTS FOR THE NOVEMBER 12, 2013 CYBERSECURITY FORUM.  News Release. News Media Contact:   CGB . http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-323994A1.docx
  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-323994A1.pdf
  http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-323994A1.txt
• Prepared Remarks Of Chairman Julius Genachowski, Federal Communications Commission, 6th Annual Common Sense Media Awards, The John F. Kennedy Center For The Peforming Arts, Washington, D.C. Och . On Receipt Of The Newt Minow Award For Leadership On Behalf Of Children And Families TXT

News

• Senate calls for FCC to consider content-blocking technologies, CNET 10/8/2008
• Senate passes "Child Safe Viewing Act" (S. 602), PFF 10/2/2008
• EFF Comments on Child Safe Viewing Act, EFF 6/9/2009
• Reply Comments in FCC's "Child Safe Viewing Act" Notice of Inquiry, PFF 5/21/2009
• CDT Urges FCC to Avoid Filtering and Other Mandates, CDT 4/21/2009
• Google tips FCC about new YouTube comment filtering system, Ars Technica 4/21/2009
• Major Filings in FCC's "Child Safe Viewing Act" Notice of Inquiry, Tech Lib Front 4/21/2009
• Comments in FCC "Child Safe Viewing Act" Proceeding, Tech Lib Front 4/16/2009
• TVGuardian fans pack FCC content filtering proceeding, Ars Technica 3/27/2009
• Implementation of the Child Safe Viewing Act; Examination of Parental Control Technologies for Video or Audio, Fed Reg 3/18/2009
• FCC: more content-blocking gizmos needed, Ars Technica 3/10/2009
• Senators Pryor and Hutchison Applaud FCC Action to Protect Children from Indecent Content on TV, Senate Commerce 3/5/2009