SOUTH BEND -- A new Indiana law could make cyberspace safer for your children. It will ban registered sex offenders from social networking websites and require them to submit their online information.

With five teenage kids, it's a sound Julie Tirotta is used to hearing. Her 16-year-old son Colin says hopping online always includes checking his MySpace page, sometimes up to twice a day.

"It's nice to have it. And sometimes I do get like, 'man I want to check it real bad!'" he said.

More and more children are spending time on social networking sites like MySpace. And officials say they're not the only ones.

"Unfortunately it's also an attractive tool for predators to try and meet up with our kids online," said Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter.

A new law is aiming to better protect children. It will ban registered sex offenders from social networking websites, chat rooms, and instant messaging programs. It will also require them to submit their email addresses, passwords, and user names to the registry.

"That's going to create a database that our law enforcement community can then use as they're doing investigations related to improper solicitation of children on the Internet," said Carter.

If registered sex offenders make changes to their online information they'll also have to notify the registry within 72 hours. If they fail to do this, it's considered a felony.

"So we think that's a pretty strong deterrent in itself. Will 100 percent of them comply with it? I doubt it. But will a significant number? I think so," said Carter.

With so many new people hopping online everyday enforcing the new law may be a challenge.

"It's an escalating battle between the predators and law enforcement with the levels of enforcement that we're capable of and the levels of deception that they're capable of," St. Joseph County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Tamashasky.

"Anything that will help, definitely I think is a good idea," said parent Julie Tirotta.

The law goes into effect July 1.

Officials say parents can also take steps to learn more about what their kids are doing online. They suggest going to the website netsmartz.org.

Parents can also get software that tracks exactly what words their kids are typing into the computer. Just Google "key logging" and you find a number of websites that offer the software.

Officials also encourage parents to check the history on the browser. This will show you what website your kids have visited.