Integrity:Source

Proposed Age Law for Online Retail Faces Parliamentary Scrutiny

Out-Law.com — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

A proposal that will force online retailers to take extra steps to ensure that young people cannot buy or access inappropriate goods or material will move one step closer to becoming law on Monday.

The Online Purchasing of Goods and Services (Age Verification) Bill will receive its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday. The second reading is the stage before it enters the Committee system for detailed discussion and amendment.

The Bill proposes making it a requirement "for the providers of goods and services and the providers of specified facilities enabling the purchase of such goods and services to take reasonable steps, in certain circumstances, to establish the age of customers making such purchases".

The proposed law refers to goods which it is already illegal to sell to people under the specified ages, such as 18 for cigarettes and alcohol.

Read more at: http://www.out-law.com/.

Maine COPPA Expansion Law is Unconstitutional

The Progress & Freedom Foundation — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Maine COPPA Expansion Law is Unconstitutional
PFF Fellows Says State Statute Creates Slippery Slope to Online Age Verification

WASHINGTON D.C. - A lawsuit filed yesterday seeks to block enforcement of a new Maine marketing law that would expand upon the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998. Like COPPA, the Maine statute requires "verifiable parental consent" before certain online sites or services may collect, or enable the sharing of, personal information from children under 13. But the Maine law would expand this requirement to adolescents, to offline activity, and for the collection of any "health related" information, while also banning all marketing based on such information.

Read more at: http://www.pff.org/.

Senator Menendez to Introduce Online Poker Legislation

Poker News Daily — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:00:00 +0000

In breaking news from Capitol Hill, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) will introduce legislation to license and regulate online poker in the United States on Thursday, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

During National Poker Week, which occurred from July 19th to 25th, it was revealed that Menendez would likely drop legislation during the festivities or the following week. Then, Poker News Daily learned that a bill similar to last Congressional session’s S 3616 would likely be introduced this week. Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Executive Director John Pappas stated during a working dinner to open National Poker Week, “Pushing poker will be an immediate lift and will be easier than [legalizing] other things.” He also reminded over 30 of the PPA’s State Directors, a handful of poker pros, and media in attendance, “Poker has always been played in people’s homes. We are the Poker Players Alliance. We aren’t the Roulette Alliance. We love the Menendez bill because it focuses on our core beliefs.”

Read more at: http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/.

Aided by Poker Devotees, Lawmaker Pushes to End the Ban on Online

The New York Times — Mon, 25 May 2009 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON - After coming up short in a first effort, a Democratic lawmaker has again introduced legislation that would roll back a ban on Internet gambling enacted when Republicans led Congress.

The legislation, introduced this month by Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, would allow the Treasury Department to license and regulate online gambling companies that serve American customers. Under the current law, approved by Congress in September 2006, financial institutions are banned from handling transactions made to and from Internet gambling sites...

Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com.

Sites Fail Age Verification Check

BBC News — Sat, 09 May 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Children's charities are backing a plan to make web retailers ensure young people cannot buy age-restricted goods.

A private members bill going through the House of Lords is calling for it to be mandatory for web retailers to adopt age verification systems.

The bill on age-checking has the backing of charities who say it is too easy for children to buy alcohol, knives and violent video games online.

A check on twelve sites found that thorough checks were not being done.

Read more at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/.