New law to protect children from online predators

[AUG. 1, 2006]  CHICAGO -- Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich on Friday announced his support for Rep. Tom Cross and Sen. Arthur Wilhelmi's new plan to protect children from online predators. The Cross Social Networking Website Safety Program would crack down on sexual predators by making it a crime for an adult to have sexually explicit conversations with minors on the Internet and would also give authorities additional tools to help track down and prosecute offenders.

Cross and Wilhelmi announced their plan Friday in response to safety concerns about MySpace.com and other youth-oriented networking websites. The governor endorsed the proposed legislation and committed to help it pass and sign it into law.

[News release from the governor's office]