New LA law requires sex offender status on Facebook

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) - Registered sex offenders in Louisiana now have to share their sex offender status on social websites like Facebook.

The author of the bill is Representative Jeff Thompson from Bossier City.

He says it's designed to create more accountability for the people who come into your home through your computer.

This law is the latest attempt by legislators to crack down on child sex predators online. But prosecutors say it's purpose is not to prevent those sex crimes but to prosecute those who commit them and fail to register.

"This is one of those deals that requires a person to say they're a sex offender on Facebook, so what can we do if they don't? Same thing we do if they don't have their sex offender i.d. card, we arrest them and prosecute them for it," says Caddo Assistant DA, Hugo Holland.

Holland says Thompson consulted with the DA's Office while crafting the bill, and the DA's Office through offered support.

A law that prohibited sex offenders from using social websites completely was recently struck down by the courts and deemed unconstitutional. Thompson believes his legislation can easily stand up to constitutional scrutiny because it's only requiring those who already register to share that information on social websites.

Copyright 2012 KSLA. All rights reserved.