A new law in Louisiana forces sex offenders in the state to reveal their crimes, their physical descriptions, and even their addresses on their social media profiles.
Imagine putting “convicted sex offender” on your Facebook page somewhere under networks, work history, or interests. That’s a reality for sex offenders in Louisiana now thanks to a new law that will go into effect on August 1st. The law, requiring sex offenders and child predators to reveal themselves as such on social networking sites is the first of its kind in the country, according to the state representative who gave the bill life. State Rep. Jeff Thompson, a Republican from Bossier City, Louisiana, has kids of his own and says that he hopes other states will soon follow suit. Though social networks do remove known sex offenders, the law is designed to cover any lapses in that filtering, says CNN .
“I don’t want to leave in the hands of social network or Facebook administrators, ‘Gee, I hope someone is telling the truth,’” said Thompson Tuesday. “This is another tool for prosecutors.”
Newser noted that “in theory nothing should change, because Facebook bars registered sex offenders already. But offenders who ignore that policy will be required to give ‘notice of the crime for which he was convicted, the jurisdiction of conviction, a description of his physical characteristics … and his residential address,’” according to the new law.
Thompson admitted that his new law could draw controversy. “It may very well fall under scrutiny and attack. That’s one of the reasons that I created the bill I did. I’m not trying to create a ban. I’m just trying to create an expansion of the existing notice requirements,” he said.
The penalty for not listing sex offender status on social media under the new law? 10 years in prison without parole.
What do you think of the sex offender/Facebook law? Should other states adopt it?
