Congressman Bart Gordon, Representing Tennessee's 6th District Home Page

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Protecting Your Children from Indecent Content

I have heard from many parents and grandparents who complain about porn peddlers with 1-800 and 1-900 sex lines and obscene Web sites. They have also complained about the violence in television programming and pornographic e-mail coming into their homes. One of my highest priorities has been to ensure that parents have the tools they need to help monitor what their children see and hear.

Dial-a-porn Legislation I wrote enables you to block 1-900 toll calls from your home or work phone by simply calling your local phone company. Now, your child will no longer be able to innocently call one of these lines and access inappropriate material. In Tennessee, more than half a million telephone customers have ordered 900 Number blocking.

Internet Safety

Much of the material on the Internet is inappropriate for children. Computers can make children vulnerable to con-artists, pornographers and even pedophiles.

Parents often do not have the expertise to control how their home computer is used. I urge parents who have a computer at home to purchase and use parental control software to block access to inappropriate material. This software is not terribly expensive and does a good job blocking both inappropriate language and pornographic pictures.

For advice on keeping your children safe on-line, I recommend the GetNetwise Website , an industry- supported site that provides compiled information about Internet safety, blocking software, links to law enforcement and a guide to kid-friendly Web sites. Also check out the Federal Communications Commission's new "Parents, Kids and Communications" page at the FCC Website.

You may also write to me for a packet of information that lists blocking software, on-line service providers with parental controls, content ratings systems for the Internet and kid-safe Web sites. Additionally, I will enclose the "Parents Guide to the Internet," which is published by the Department of Education.

Canning Unsolicited Commercial Email (Spam)

Too frequently inappropriate e-mail and instant messages find their way to children. Your Internet Services Provider may be able to help you block unwanted messages. However, no system is fail proof. Your best defense is to tell your children not to open e-mail from strangers and never click on links, respond or take any action without checking first with you.

To reduce the amount of unsolicited commercial e-mail you receive, sign up for the Direct Marketing Association's E-Mail Preference Service on-line.  The request will remain effective for one year.

Consumers should be able to control what comes into their homes. That is why I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 3113, the Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Mail Act of 2000. This bill makes it illegal for solicitors to contact you again if you ask to be removed from their e-mail list. As a member of the House Commerce Committee, I will do everything in my power to ensure this important piece of legislation becomes law.

Block violence on television

Sadly, the typical American child will witness 8,000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence on TV before finishing elementary school. A provision I sponsored in the 1996 Telecommunications Act required that by the year 2000 all new TV sets must include an easy-to-use parent-activated "V-chip" to block violent and other inappropriate content. Check out the FCC's V-chip home page  for more information.

Ultimately, parents, not the government, must be responsible for raising their children with strong values. However, with the explosion of new technologies, the government can help by giving parents tools to make the job easier.

 

Washington Office
2304 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4231
Murfreesboro Office
305 West Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615) 896-1986
Cookeville Office
15 South Jefferson
Cookeville, TN 38501
(931) 528-5907
Gallatin Office
100 Public Square, Room B-100
Gallatin, TN 37066
(615) 451-5174