CHICAGO, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Illinois lawmakers are being asked to ban access to social networking Web sites like MySpace from computers in public libraries and schools.
Aimed at thwarting online sexual predators, a suburban Chicago legislator has introduced a bill in the state Senate intended to protect children when they're using the Internet away from home, The Chicago Tribune reports.
If the legislation is passed, Illinois would become the first state to ban public access to social networking sites.
Officials in Georgia and North Carolina are calling for minors to get parental consent in order to view sites like MySpace.
Librarians say legislation like the Illinois measure is too broad and would hurt people who can't afford Internet access at home.
Last month, the Naperville (Ill.) Public Library revised its Internet policy to block social networking sites on computers used by children.
"We talked about it and we thought it was reasonable not to have access to those sites in the children's area," says Susan Strunk, deputy director of the library.
