NYS Senator Eric Adams, Chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs, Hosts an Internet Roundtable Following Suicide of 18-Year Old Rutgers Student Tyler Clementi

NYS Senator Eric Adams convened a Roundtable that brought together government leaders and the private sector to develop strategies for emerging issues and changing technology concerning the Internet. The discussion enhanced interaction and partnership development between the public and private sectors on matters of Internet security and related infrastructure.

Senator Adams stated: “Our State is challenged by the need to analyze and keep pace with emerging issues and changing technology concerning the internet. Oftentimes, proposed legislation and enacted law lag years behind real-world developments. It is essential that government leaders, especially legislators, be cognizant of and collaborate harmoniously and efficiently with the private sector to safeguard our citizenry and our commerce.

“We live in an age of ‘social networking’ via the Internet, but the recent tragedy at Rutgers that followed the use of a hidden webcam to record and stream online a student having sex was an intolerable invasion of privacy.

“This Roundtable examined issues involving the Internet and explored ways in which business and government can work together to increase both the usefulness and safety of this global system that serves billions of users. The event is meant to illuminate strengths, weaknesses, areas for improvement, and spheres for growth in the relationship between the private and public sectors and to provide guidance for the New York State Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military affairs to develop pertinent legislation.”