Senate Bill Would Regulate Privacy on Facebook, Social Networking Sites

A bill introduced into the California Senate last week seeks to regulate privacy on social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter.

Written by East Bay senator Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro) Senate Bill 501 would require websites to remove some personal information about users upon their request. Most importantly, parents of children under 18 would also be able to request that their child’s information be taken down.

The bill applies to personal identifying information such as addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, credit card numbers and bank account numbers.

According to Corbett’s office, there are no state laws to address such privacy concerns on social networking websites.  

“Unsuspecting children and teenagers are oftentimes prime targets for online predators that use these sites to prey on vulnerable young people,” Corbett said in a statement. “It is important that we partner with social networking providers to ensure that these sites remain safe for all users. Technology should never stand in the way of responsible parenting.”

This isn’t the first time Corbett has tackled online privacy.

Corbett authored a similar bill in 2011 that failed after heavy lobbying from a coalition that included major online players such as Facebook, Twitter and Google, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Do you think parents should be able to regulate their child’s privacy online? Tell us in the comments below.

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