Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) was initiated in 2006, at the height of the moral alarm over the issue concerning the safety of children in social networking sites. The widespread use of social networking Internet sites in schools and libraries in the U.S. was highlighted and proposed to be banned by legislation to lower the disturbing incidences related to online social networking.

DOPA was subsequently delivered in the House of Representatives and then elevated to the Senate, despite objections from Internet activists, librarians, teachers and some politicians. DOPA was placed in the hands of dubious senators who were too sluggish to pass it after they had been attacked with widespread condemnation by the media and the blogosphere. The Mark Foley scandal worsened the issue, resulting in the cutting-off of support from the act’s prime sponsors. The issue of DOPA eventually reached a more crucial point with the U.S. Congress’ switch from Republican to Democratic. This caused the act to be signed again from the start, as it was not done at the end of the congressional term. When the Democrats took the responsibility for DOPA, there has been no indication that it will be brought up again. However, after some period of stagnation, the bill was finally passed in July 2007, effectively restricting schools and libraries from using chat rooms and social networking sites. Meanwhile, the issue of DOPA is far from over. U.S. Senator Ted Stevens proposed a recent bill called “S.49”, which is nearly the same as DOPA; it also aims to alleviate the negative effects of social networking sites.