Social Network Registry

By Brad

Facebook now has over 900 million users worldwide, and as Michael Martinez of CNN reports, such a massive user base has inspired a new state law aimed at educating communities about sex offenders:

A new Louisiana law requires sex offenders and child predators to state their criminal status on their Facebook or other social networking page, with the law’s author saying the bill is the first of its kind in the nation.

State Rep. Jeff Thompson, a Republican from Bossier City, Louisiana, says his new law, effective August 1, will stand up to constitutional challenge because it expands sex offender registration requirements, common in many states, to include a disclosure on the convicted criminal’s social networking sites as well.

Martinez goes on to report that Facebook “applauded” the new law.