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| Public Act 097-0341 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning the Internet.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Online | ||||
Child Safety Act. | ||||
Section 5. Legislative intent. It is the intent of the | ||||
General Assembly that this Act promote the dissemination of | ||||
qualifying parental controls for the protection of children in | ||||
this State subject to appropriate and beneficial oversight by | ||||
their parents and families. | ||||
Section 10. Applicability. This Act applies to every | ||||
Internet access provider that knows or has reason to know that | ||||
a subscriber currently resides in this State. | ||||
Section 15. Definitions. In this Act: | ||||
"Child" means an individual under the age of 18 years. | ||||
"Computer network" means the computer network commonly | ||||
known as the Internet and any other local, regional, or global | ||||
computer network that is similar to or is a predecessor of or | ||||
successor to the Internet. | ||||
"Interactive computer service" means an information | ||||
service, system, or access software provider that provides or | ||||
enables computer access by multiple users to a computer | ||
service. "Interactive computer service" includes a service or | ||
system that provides access to the Internet and systems | ||
operated or services offered by a library or educational | ||
institution. | ||
"Internet" means the international computer network of | ||
both federal and nonfederal interoperable packet-switched data | ||
networks. | ||
"Internet access provider" means a provider that offers | ||
directly to residential customers an interactive computer | ||
service to obtain access to the Internet in exchange for | ||
consideration, such as through a paid subscription or through | ||
an agreement to view specific advertising or other content. | ||
"Internet access provider" does not include a library or | ||
educational institution that operates or offers an interactive | ||
computer service to obtain access to the Internet. | ||
"Parental control" means a product or service to control a | ||
child's access to the Internet. | ||
Section 20. Parental controls required. | ||
(a) An Internet access provider must make a parental | ||
control that satisfies the requirements of this Section | ||
available to each subscriber in this State.
An Internet access | ||
provider is not, however, required to provide a parental | ||
control that is not reasonably and commercially available for | ||
the technology that a subscriber uses to obtain access to the | ||
Internet.
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(b) A parental control must allow a subscriber, in a | ||
commercially reasonable manner, to do one of the following:
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(1) Block a child's access to websites by specifying
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prohibited websites or by selecting a category of sites to
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block.
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(2) Restrict a child's access exclusively to websites | ||
that the subscriber approves or a category of websites that | ||
the subscriber approves.
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Section 25. Parental controls; availability; charge. | ||
(a) An Internet access provider must make the parental | ||
control required under Section 20 available to a subscriber at | ||
or near the time of subscription.
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(b) An Internet access provider may make the parental | ||
control required under Section 20 available to a subscriber | ||
either directly or through a third party.
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(c) An Internet access provider or third party may charge | ||
for any parental control provided to a subscriber.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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