§91.5. Unlawful use of a social networking website
A. The following shall constitute unlawful use of a social networking website:
(1) The intentional use of a social networking website by a person who is required
to register as a sex offender and who was convicted of R.S. 14:81 (indecent behavior with
juveniles), R.S. 14:81.1 (pornography involving juveniles), R.S. 14:81.3 (computer-aided
solicitation of a minor), or R.S. 14:283 (video voyeurism) or was convicted of a sex offense
as defined in R.S. 15:541 in which the victim of the sex offense was a minor.
(2) The provisions of this Section shall also apply to any person convicted for an
offense under the laws of another state, or military, territorial, foreign, tribal, or federal law
which is equivalent to the offenses provided for in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, unless
the tribal court or foreign conviction was not obtained with sufficient safeguards for
fundamental fairness and due process for the accused as provided by the federal guidelines
adopted pursuant to the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
B. For purposes of this Section:
(1) "Minor" means a person under the age of eighteen years.
(2)(a) "Social networking website" means an Internet website, the primary purpose
of which is facilitating social interaction with other users of the website and has all of the
following capabilities:
(i) Allows users to create web pages or profiles about themselves that are available
to the general public or to any other users.
(ii) Offers a mechanism for communication among users.
(b) "Social networking website" shall not include any of the following:
(i) An Internet website that provides only one of the following services: photo-sharing, electronic mail, or instant messaging.
(ii) An Internet website the primary purpose of which is the facilitation of
commercial transactions involving goods or services between its members or visitors.
(iii) An Internet website the primary purpose of which is the dissemination of news.
(iv) An Internet website of a governmental entity.
(3) "Use" shall mean to create a profile on a social networking website or to contact
or attempt to contact other users of the social networking website.
C.(1) Whoever commits the crime of unlawful use of a social networking website
shall, upon a first conviction, be fined not more than ten thousand dollars and shall be
imprisoned with hard labor for not more than ten years without benefit of parole, probation,
or suspension of sentence.
(2) Whoever commits the crime of unlawful use of a social networking website,
upon a second or subsequent conviction, shall be fined not more than twenty thousand dollars
and shall be imprisoned with hard labor for not less than five years nor more than twenty
years without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
Acts 2011, No. 26, §1; Acts 2012, No. 205, §1.