In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Child” means an individual under the age of 18 years. “Computer network” means the computer network commonly known as the Internet and any other local, regional, or global computer network that is similar to or is a predecessor of or successor to the Internet. “Internet” means the international computer network of both federal and nonfederal interoperable packet–switched data networks. “Internet access provider” means a provider that offers directly to residential customers an interactive computer service to obtain access to the Internet in exchange for consideration, such as through a paid subscription or through an agreement to view specific advertising or other content. “Internet access provider” does not include a library or educational institution that operates or offers an interactive computer service to obtain access to the Internet. “Interactive computer service” means an information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer service. “Interactive computer service” includes a service or system that provides access to the Internet and systems operated or services offered by a library or educational institution. “Parental control” means a product or service to control the access of a child to the Internet.

It is the intent of the General Assembly that this subtitle promote the dissemination of qualifying parental controls for the protection of children in the State subject to appropriate and beneficial oversight by their parents and families.

This subtitle applies to an Internet access provider that knows or has reason to know that a subscriber currently resides in the State.

Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an Internet access provider shall make a parental control that satisfies the requirements of this section available to each subscriber in the State. The Internet access provider may not be required to provide a parental control that is not reasonably and commercially available for the technology that the subscriber uses to obtain access to the Internet. A parental control shall allow the subscriber, in a commercially reasonable manner, to: Block all access to the Internet; and Block a child’s access to websites by specifying prohibited websites or by selecting a category of sites to block; Restrict a child’s access exclusively to websites that the subscriber approves or a category of websites that the subscriber approves; Restrict a child’s access to websites that the parental control provider designates; or Monitor a child’s use of the Internet by providing a report to the subscriber indicating: Each specific website that the child has attempted to visit but was unable to view because the subscriber blocked or restricted access to the website; or Each specific website that the child has visited.

The Internet access provider shall make available to the subscriber, at or near the time of subscription, a parental control that satisfies the requirements of § 14–3704 of this subtitle. The Internet access provider may make the parental control available to the subscriber either directly or through a link to a third party. The Internet access provider or third party may charge for the parental control.

This subtitle may be cited as the Online Child Safety Act.