Plan to keep sex predators offline

Instant message to sexual predators: your online session is about to expire.

Convicted sex offenders in New York would be barred from logging onto Facebook and MySpace, as well as communicating with any minor on the Web, under a new proposal announced Thursday.

"The Internet is the new playground for sexual predators," said state Sen. Dean Skelos, sponsor of the legislative proposal. "Why can't we say stay away from that new playground."

The plan, which state attorney general Andrew Cuomo said has the cooperation of the two social networking sites, comes after states attorneys general around the nation sparred with them in court over barring sex offenders from using the sites. The companies had argued there is no crime in simply going online.

Under the plan, offenders would be forced to register their online identities with the parole board.

The measure must pass in the legislature to become law.

There are 457 registered sex offenders in Nassau, and another 825 in Suffolk, the officials said.

By LUIS PEREZ
Posted Friday, February 8, 2008

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