FCC solicits comment on e-media on children safety
60-Day public comment period on FCC Notice of Inquiry
by Pinedale Online!
October 29, 2009
The Federal Communications Commission posted a Notice of Inquiry in the Federal Register soliciting public comment on the matter of "Empowering Parents and Protecting Children in an Evolving Media Landscape."
There is a 60-day comment period on the Notice, which was released on Friday, October 23rd. The Reply Comment Date is 90 Days after publication in the Federal Register.
The purpose is to seek to develop a record that will help the FCC answer the question of how to empower parents to help their children take advantage of the opportunities of technology media, while at the same time protecting children from the risks inherent to use of the platforms.
The electronic media platforms the FCC is questioning regulating include broadcast television and radio, multichannel video programming distributors, audio devices, video games, wireless devices, non-networked devices, mobile devices, computers, cell phones, iPods, and the Internet.
"Our goal with this NOI is to gather data and recommendations from experts, industry, and parents that will enable us to identify actions that all stake holders can take to enable parents and children to navigate this promising electronic media landscape safely and successfully," the FCC NOI says.
The FCC says risks and harm children are exposed to from electronic media include:
- Exposure to exploitative advertising
- Exposure to inappropriate content such as offensive language, sexual content, violence or hate speech
- Impact on health, for example childhood obesity, tobacco use, sexual behavior, or drug and alcohol use.
- Impact on behavior, in particular, exposure to violence leading to aggressive behavior
- Harassment and bullying
- Sexual predation
- Fraud and scams
- Failure to distinguish between who can and who cannot be trusted when sharing information
- Compromised privacy.
"We seek comment on these risks, whether parents, teachers and children are aware of them, and what can be done to protect children from them," the Notice of Inquiry states.
The NOI notes that the Children’s Television Act (1990), which is a government action that requires broadcast television, cable and satellite TV aimed at children to include a three-hour-week core programming which focuses on socio-emotional lesions for children, might be expanded into other digital media to embed advertisements and messages, such as nutritious food choice messages to combat the spread of childhood obesity.
Comments can be made electronically on this NOI by going to http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ or http://www.regulations.gov. Filers should follow the instructions on the website on submitting comments.
To file comments by paper, parties must file an original and four copies of each filing. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th St, SW, Washington DC 20554. Be sure to include the Docket number on the comment (MB docket No. 09-194 In the Matter of Empowering Parents and Protecting Children in an Evolving Media Landscape.
Click on this link for the Notice of Inquiry: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-94A1.pdf
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