110th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. 602

To develop the next generation of parental control technology.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 15, 2007

Mr. PRYOR introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

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. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:

      (1) Video programming has a direct impact on a child's perception of safe and reasonable behavior.

      (2) Children imitate actions they witness on video programming, including language, drug use, and sexual conduct.

      (3) Studies indicate that the strong appeal of video programming erodes the ability of parents to develop responsible attitudes and behavior in their children.

      (4) The average American child watches 4 hours of television each day.

      (5) Seventy-five percent of adults surveyed believe that television content marketed toward children should be subject to compulsory principles.

      (6) Ninety-nine and nine-tenths percent of all consumer complaints logged by the Federal Communications Commission in the first quarter of 2006 regarding radio and television broadcasting were because of obscenity, indecency, and profanity.

      (7) There is a compelling government interest in empowering parents to limit their children's exposure to harmful television content.

      (8) Section 1 of the Communications Act of 1934 requires the Federal Communications Commission to promote the safety of life and property through the use of wire and radio communications.

      (9) In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress authorized Parental Choice in Television Programming and the V-Chip. Congress further directed action on alternative blocking technology as new video technology advanced.

SEC. 3. EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVE PARENTAL CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES.

    (a) Rulemaking Proceeding Required- Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall initiate a proceeding to consider measures to encourage or require the use of advanced blocking technologies that are compatible with various communications devices or platforms.

    (b) Content of Proceeding- In conducting the proceeding required under subsection (a), the Federal Communications 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) 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.

END