Utah creates a no-spam registry for children

It's a no-spam list just for children.

Utah launched the registry Thursday to keep spammers from sending inappropriate pitches to minors by e-mail.

Parents can sign up their children's e-mail addresses to block advertisements for pornography, illegal or prescription drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, firearms and fireworks.

The sign-up is at www.kidsregistry.utah.gov.

"Parents should take an active role in their children's Internet use," said Francine Giani, director of the Utah Division of Consumer Protection.

The law that created the registry warns that enrolling a child's e-mail address on the registry could reveal it to hackers.

"Under law, theft of a contact point from the Child Protection Registry is a second-degree felony. While every attempt will be made to secure the Child Protection Registry, registrants and their guardians should be aware that their contact points may be at a greater risk of being misappropriated by marketers who choose to disobey the law," the Child Protection Register statute says. Senders must comply with the new law by Aug. 15.