"By signing this bill, I am sending a strong message that we will not tolerate those who would use the Internet to dupe vulnerable Alaskans," Murkowski said.
The new law, sponsored by Sen. Gene Therriault, makes it a Class C felony to use the Internet to entice or solicit a child under 16-years of age. Such a crime would be a Class B felony if the offender is already a registered sex offender.
The new law also makes it illegal to distribute sexually explicit materials by computer to someone they believe to be under 16 years of age, aiding in police "sting" operations that ferret out internet predators.
In addition, the new law is intended to make it unlawful to engage in deceptive acts or practices using spyware software, including causing unsolicited pop-up ads to be shown on a person's computer screen. The law makes it illegal unless the website owner authorized the pop-up advertisement.
The governor signed the bill late Tuesday.
