海角大神

California聽teenagers, who post photographs of themselves wearing too little clothing or having had too much聽to聽drink, will have the legal right聽to聽erase聽their online聽indiscretions聽under newly enacted first-in-the-nation legislation.

The so-called 'eraser bill,' which Democratic Governor Jerry Brown signed into聽law聽on Monday, will require social media websites聽to聽allow聽California聽children under age 18聽to聽remove their own postings as of January 2015, even as top sites already allow users聽to聽delete their own posts.

The聽law聽forces companies聽to聽provide a way for minors聽to聽delete聽digital聽skeletons - rants, postings and pictures that could harm their reputations, their chances of getting into college, and their employment opportunities.

James Steyer, chief executive of聽Common Sense Media, a San Francisco group that pushed for the measure, called it a milestone and "a really important step forward in the discussion of聽kids聽and teen privacy....

"Kids聽and teens deserve the right聽to聽make mistakes without penalties for their entire lives," Steyer told Reuters. "This is the beginning of the reframing of the privacy issue when it comes聽to聽kids聽and teens,聽to聽let them control their own information and correct their mistakes."

While mainstream sites like Facebook and Twitter already allow users聽to聽delete posts, the聽law聽requires all social media sites聽to聽provide a delete button for minors.

厂别苍补迟别听濒别补诲别谤听Darrell Steinberg, a Democrat who wrote the bill, said it protected children "who often act impetuously with postings of ill-advised pictures or messages before they think through the consequences.

"They deserve the right聽to聽remove this material that could haunt them for years聽to聽come," Steinberg said in a statement.

The聽California聽senate聽had unanimously approved the measure, which the state assembly approved 62-12.

Emma Llanso, policy counsel for the Center for Democracy and Technology, a group advocating internet freedom in Washington, D.C., praised the聽law聽for its good intentions, but said her organization opposes any age-based internet restrictions.

"This kind of bill could act as a disincentive聽to聽creating sites and services aimed at minors," she said, adding that her group fears that if other states adopt similar legislation, it could create a patchwork of laws that could prove difficult for technology companies聽to聽manage.

Steinberg said that a recent Kaplan study found that more than one out of four college-admissions officers check applicants' Facebook profiles and perform Google searches on candidates.

Steyer, the father of four children, including two teens, said he believes more work needs聽to聽be done聽to聽protect young people's online privacy. He hopes other states will follow聽California's lead.

"Just because you post a semi-naked picture of yourself at age 15 doesn't mean it should haunt you for the rest of your life or prevent you from getting into college, getting a job or ruin your reputation with your peers," he said.聽