Information Technology Acts

Information Technology Acts

Computers and technology are the wave of the future. Children learn at a very young age how to use electronics and technology. Technology is second nature to younger generations. It is commonplace that the youthful generations learn most of his or her information via the Internet. Technological advances are made every day so it is hard to determine what is appropriate for today’s youth to read. The United States Government strives to make the Internet a safe place for children and young adults and has enacted legislative acts to work toward this progress. The Children’s Internet Protection Act, 2000 and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 1974 are two such legislative acts that help in the fight against the unethical use of the Internet.

The Children’s Internet Protection Act, 2000, also known as CIPA, is a federal law enacted by Congress to address concerns about access to offensive content over the Internet on school and library computers (Federal Communications Commission, 2012). This act requires certain guidelines and regulations be followed by schools and libraries that receive funding from the federal government. To maintain funding from the government these schools and libraries must adhere to certain Internet safety policies that filter Internet access to certain sites, adopt a policy to monitor student’s activities via the Internet, and implement a safety policy regarding the Internet. These requirements must be met before funding can be approved. The Children’s Internet Protection Act, 2000 is to protect children and young adults from inappropriate material via the Internet.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 1974, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records (U. S. Department of Education, 2012). All schools that receive federal funding are subject to this act. This act requires schools to receive the consent of the children’s parents or the young adults after the age...