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AG Roy Cooper Comments on Court Decision to Ban Sex Offenders From Social Media

Here is a statement from Attorney General Roy Cooper on the N.C. Supreme Court decision banning registered sex offenders from social networking websites:

Cooper
Cooper

“Our laws bar convicted sex offenders from living near schools and working with young people in real life, and it’s just as important to protect kids in the online world. I pushed for this law to put another barrier between sex offenders and potential victims, and I’m pleased that the court has agreed with our arguments to keep this law in place.”

The North Carolina Supreme Court on Friday ruled that banning registered sex offenders from social networking websites is constitutional, reversing an earlier North Carolina Court of Appeals decision.

At Cooper’s urging, the North Carolina General Assembly in 2008 passed a comprehensive law package barring registered sex offenders from using social media websites like Facebook and Twitter. The laws also included sentencing requirements for pornographers and child predators who use Internet websites to target victims.

Cooper urges parents to talk to their children about staying safe online, and encourages parents to consider the decision to allow children to use social media carefully.

Internet safety tips and suggestions for parents, such as setting ground rules for Internet use and tips for safe social networking, are available online at ncdoj.gov.