MySpace kicks out 90,000 sex offenders

[GentleBreeze]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/03/m...ers/index.html


(CNN) -- MySpace.com has identified and removed 90,000 convicted sex offenders from its popular online social-networking site, according to one of the dozens of state attorneys general who pressured the site to beef up its safety standards.


MySpace.com's chief security officer said in 2007 the site has "zero tolerance for sexual predators."

Richard Blumenthal, the attorney general of Connecticut who spearheaded the campaign to subpoena MySpace, told CNN Radio he found the number "appalling."

"These convicted, registered sex offenders clearly create profiles seeking to prey on children," he said, adding, "This revelation is totally appalling and unacceptable, and this shocking revelation, resulting from our subpoena....

[juliekan]

from the article:

MySpace had initially refused to comply with the subpoena, citing federal privacy laws

When they had 90,000 convicted sex offenders on their "chat" site? Wonder what changed their mind?

And don't think they won't be back, just like we see here, other nic, another address........

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by Kathy*Rae

I'm not very computer savvy, so maybe someone can help me out here.

HOW were these sex offenders 'identified?'

A mass e-mail asking their clients if they were/are offenders?

Truth is most lie when joining those type sites for their safety.
Right?

I did.
No way I share anything to possibly lead a 'friend' to my front door.

Makes no sense to me how they can identify anyone who wants to be secretive.

Please explain. TIA

I wonder that too

[legalmania]

Originally Posted by Kathy*Rae

I'm not very computer savvy, so maybe someone can help me out here.

HOW were these sex offenders 'identified?'

A mass e-mail asking their clients if they were/are offenders?

Truth is most lie when joining those type sites for their safety.
Right?

I did.
No way I share anything to possibly lead a 'friend' to my front door.

Makes no sense to me how they can identify anyone who wants to be secretive.

Please explain. TIA

I believe they have to register their address and all e-mails. If they don't do this they can be held in violation of probation. So either they register or it's back to jail.

[legalmania]

Originally Posted by Kathy*Rae

[COLOR="Sea Green"]With their parole officer, yes, but how would one of those know if a person has an email address or not?

As for the My Space. I doubt many ....even if completely on the up and up.... give a true address....

Doesn't make sense to me.

Sounds like 'a feel good' option so the public feels better.[/color]

They caught 90,000 and that's not by guessing. They have their ways. They have organizations that act like young children and then they can trace who they are. I feel good that 90,000 are no longer on the computer trying to lure our children. As time goes on LE will get better and better and pretty soon it will be very hard for a sex offender to get on. Remember they have to give an address to join they cross that address with the sex offender list if that address matches they are done. Good Catch guys.

[legalmania]

Originally Posted by LisaM22

I wonder that too

If you are interested in the sex offenders in your area here is a link;

http://www.registeredoffenderslist.org/

[txsage]

bluescat, I don't think there's any way to misread:

The disclosure renews the debate of whether social networking sites are a haven for sex offenders. “This is just the tip of the iceberg on MySpace,” said John A. Phillips, chief executive of Aristotle, a company that supplies identity and age verification technologies for companies like the New York State Lottery, breweries and film studios. “These are just the convicted sex offenders” who used their real names.

Tip of the iceberg! IMO

[Aradia5]

I'm going to check and see if any of my "friends" are missing.

[txsage]

Hmmmm......wonder if myspace will crash with everyone doing just that, Aradia!

[Leather&Lace]

Originally Posted by Kathy*Rae

With their parole officer, yes, but how would one of those know if a person has an email address or not?

As for the My Space. I doubt many ....even if completely on the up and up.... give a true address....

Doesn't make sense to me.

Sounds like 'a feel good' option so the public feels better.

Someone may have already answered your question. I believe the IP address from the ISP (Internet Service Provider) can traced back to a physical street, city, state address. If these sex offenders were using the internet from their home, most likely a program was created that would scan the IP addresses and kick out those for the offenders. Sex Offender addresses would have been keyed into the program prior to the program being run by myspace. Asked a tech friend and he said this is most likely how they hit on all the sex offenders registered on myspace.

The only thing, just think of all the sex offenders that use the internet at an address other than their home address.
Scary.

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by legalmania

If you are interested in the sex offenders in your area here is a link;

http://www.registeredoffenderslist.org/

yes, but I have no idea if anyone posting here is a sex offender, the only sex offenders they could determine based on profiles is the honest ones it would seem, the ones that gave their real information, then you have to ask, were they offending children, or just using the free service for other legit reasons, i have seen too many put on the sex offender list for not sex offender reasons to care about that list anymore, the value of the list was ruined when anyone and everyone could be added to is imo

[legalmania]

Originally Posted by LisaM22

yes, but I have no idea if anyone posting here is a sex offender, the only sex offenders they could determine based on profiles is the honest ones it would seem, the ones that gave their real information, then you have to ask, were they offending children, or just using the free service for other legit reasons, i have seen too many put on the sex offender list for not sex offender reasons to care about that list anymore, the value of the list was ruined when anyone and everyone could be added to is imo

One of the requirements is they have to register as a sex offender if they are arrested and convicted they have to give their name and all alias. This is the law. The only thing you can do is protect your children by informing them. Let them know not to trust anyone and use your parental guide while their on the internet, If they are teenagers let them read what happened to Adam Walsh and Megan Kanka and others if you can. Let them go to the National Center for Missing and exploited children, and see all the missing children. The law can only do so much but the parents can do a lot more. So teach your children and grandchildren all you can.

[Details]

It'd be a simple thing to go by emails, if sex offenders are required to give their monitoring boards a list of all emails. And they do have reason to comply - failing to give all information can get them thrown back in jail. So just hand MySpace a list of all emails that are owned by sex offenders.



I still want to know what type of sex offenders - were these the "urinating in public" "18 year old with a 16 year old" type of thing, or the serious sex offenders?

[Adalena935]

Originally Posted by blues_cat

This article seems to calim they only booted out the sex offenders who were using their real name? Or am I misreading it ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/te...ref=technology

You read it right.

[Adalena935]

Originally Posted by Details

It'd be a simple thing to go by emails, if sex offenders are required to give their monitoring boards a list of all emails. And they do have reason to comply - failing to give all information can get them thrown back in jail. So just hand MySpace a list of all emails that are owned by sex offenders.



I still want to know what type of sex offenders - were these the "urinating in public" "18 year old with a 16 year old" type of thing, or the serious sex offenders?

The OP's link says convicted.

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by Adalena935

The OP's link says convicted.

yep, the problem is we do not know anymore, I think these things started out for the right reasons, but somehow they got to include everything and anything, even lunsfords son was arrested for a sex crime as an adult with a child, but I think we can all see the difference in this case vs a real child molestation case that should be included on the list

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/ne...on-sex-charge/

[Details]

Convicted of what though? In many states, offenses that do not merit serious monitoring are still considered "sex offenses".

If your daughter gets drunk, urinates behind a tree, and is caught - she's now a sex offender, with monitoring requirements, disclosure, job limits, etc. If your son, at 19, goes out with a girl who looks and acts adult, living on her own, and turns out to be 16 - in the wrong state, he could be a sex offender.


There is a serious issue - repeat sex offenders, predatory pedophiles, very dangerous people and our need to monitor them, protect children from them - and then there is another serious issue - that we're mixing harmless people who broke far less serious rules, who are not dangerous, and putting the same stringent and oppressive requirements on them. Often, out of fear of being called soft on sex offenders, politicians and DAs don't want to even discuss this - but we need to deal with it.

[Adalena935]

Originally Posted by Kathy*Rae

With their parole officer, yes, but how would one of those know if a person has an email address or not?

As for the My Space. I doubt many ....even if completely on the up and up.... give a true address....

Doesn't make sense to me.

Sounds like 'a feel good' option so the public feels better.

This explains it somewhat. Each computer has it's own ID linked to whoever purchases it and that's linked to other information such as home address etc. It's traceable.

http://www.gearlive.com/index.php/ne...tors-12050343/

MySpace to Adopt Sentinel Safe to Stop Teen Predators

[Adalena935]

Details, As you can see from reading the op's link it didn't specify. Graded by levels on sex offender's lists. Why should any convicted sex offender be preying on children on MySpace? Should MySpace be forced to accept convicted sex offenders?

[Adalena935]

Here's more info the people with questions should read.

http://www.sentryweb.com/articles/120506release.pdf

Detailed background information on registered sex offenders in the U.S.

Those on parole and probation and force them back to jail if they’re caught violating their parole or probation.

I don't see anything wrong with parole's and probation's being enforced.

[Adalena935]

Originally Posted by LisaM22

yep, the problem is we do not know anymore, I think these things started out for the right reasons, but somehow they got to include everything and anything, even lunsfords son was arrested for a sex crime as an adult with a child, but I think we can all see the difference in this case vs a real child molestation case that should be included on the list

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/ne...on-sex-charge/

I don't know why you're giving me the link. In my state a 14 year old has long been underage by law.

[Adalena935]

Thanks for this interesting article GentleBreze. It's a timely and interesting issue.

[Details]

Originally Posted by Adalena935

Details, As you can see from reading the op's link it didn't specify. Graded by levels on sex offender's lists. Why should any convicted sex offender be preying on children on MySpace? Should MySpace be forced to accept convicted sex offenders?

Not all people on the sex offender list prey on children, have any record of hurting anyone, in fact. It's a huge problem, and a huge problem when any public service is denied to this huge group, many of whom are not predators of any kind.


Do you really think this is right - if an individual who has NEVER been sexually involved with a child, has had a Romeo and Juliet relationship with someone nearly their age, has NEVER been violent, has never raped anyone - should that person be denied the ability to access MySpace, be tracked exactly like the violent pedophile the laws were written for?


I don't have a problem with convicted sex offenders - I have a problem with convicted pedophiles, sexual predators and rapists. Problem is - the sex offender list has a great many mostly innocent people besides these predators.

[Details]

Originally Posted by Adalena935

I don't know why you're giving me the link. In my state a 14 year old has long been underage by law.

So you think it's OK? A teenage guy maybe kisses (this was in public) a teenage girl - and because they've gotten just past some age limits, that boy now has to register for life as a sex offender, register, be denied jobs, be required to stay away from schools, be banned from MySpace, etc.?

Is this a proportional and reasonable punishment for a 19 year old guy who has some type of affectionate display in public with a 14 year old, for something that we consider a misdemeanor, we punish him harder than a violent felon?

You can mug and assault someone, pay your time, and go free. Two teens with some consensual little bit of affection in public - and one of them is tarred for life, restricted for life.

[Squeekie]

Originally Posted by legalmania

If you are interested in the sex offenders in your area here is a link;

http://www.registeredoffenderslist.org/

That link is charging people for sex offender information?? That's outrageous!

The information is out there, free -

http://www.nsopw.gov

&

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/cac/registry.htm

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by Details

So you think it's OK? A teenage guy maybe kisses (this was in public) a teenage girl - and because they've gotten just past some age limits, that boy now has to register for life as a sex offender, register, be denied jobs, be required to stay away from schools, be banned from MySpace, etc.?

Is this a proportional and reasonable punishment for a 19 year old guy who has some type of affectionate display in public with a 14 year old, for something that we consider a misdemeanor, we punish him harder than a violent felon?

You can mug and assault someone, pay your time, and go free. Two teens with some consensual little bit of affection in public - and one of them is tarred for life, restricted for life.

I agree - that is the problem, common sense is not used, being a crime is one thing, but the punishment should fit the crime - - young people that are in love and everything is consensual should get a slap on the wrist - people that are so dangerous they should be on a list should be in prison, not on a list - there is a big difference between a consensual relationship between teens and a forced relationship, the law should recognize this

[legalmania]

Obviously not a lot of you watched Chris Hansen on Dateline "How to Catch a Predator," a girl 19 years old would pose as a 14 year old on the internet she would tell them her parents would be gone for the weekend and hundreds of men would call and then show up. Some would drive hours. They brought all kinds of personal things even booze and drugs and of course condoms. One guy brought his 5 year old son, he had to call his wife to tell her what he did, another man had guns in his car. These are the same type of guys they are getting off the internet in this bust. There were all kinds of men including teachers and a Rabbi and one guy who was on parole for being charged with being a child predator already, he came and immediately took off his clothes while the little girl pretended to go up to change into something more comfortable. Imagine their surprise when Chris Hansen walked in. Are these the kind of people you want talking to your daughter or granddaughter, or family member on the internet? The whole thing was taped and was shown on dateline of course as soon as they left they were arrested outside. These guys are scum and LE had their hands tied until legislature finally gave them some rights so they could go after these predators. Their sick and need to be stopped. There is a website where you can just put in your zip code and everything comes up about the people who have been arrested in your area for child molestation. I will try to find the link, it use to be free but since Chris Hansens show I guess some are trying to make a buck.

Here is a link if you would like to read more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Hansen

[legalmania]

More info:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...n1835560.shtml

[LisaM22]

Originally Posted by legalmania

Obviously not a lot of you watched Chris Hansen on Dateline "How to Catch a Predator," a girl 19 years old would pose as a 14 year old on the internet she would tell them her parents would be gone for the weekend and hundreds of men would call and then show up. Some would drive hours. They brought all kinds of personal things even booze and drugs and of course condoms. One guy brought his 5 year old son, he had to call his wife to tell her what he did, another man had guns in his car. These are the same type of guys they are getting off the internet in this bust. There were all kinds of men including teachers and a Rabbi and one guy who was on parole for being charged with being a child predator already, he came and immediately took off his clothes while the little girl pretended to go up to change into something more comfortable. Imagine their surprise when Chris Hansen walked in. Are these the kind of people you want talking to your daughter or granddaughter, or family member on the internet? The whole thing was taped and was shown on dateline of course as soon as they left they were arrested outside. These guys are scum and LE had their hands tied until legislature finally gave them some rights so they could go after these predators. Their sick and need to be stopped. There is a website where you can just put in your zip code and everything comes up about the people who have been arrested in your area for child molestation. I will try to find the link, it use to be free but since Chris Hansens show I guess some are trying to make a buck.

Here is a link if you would like to read more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Hansen

that was not what happened here though, I am all for that, if that is what they want to do

[legalmania]

Originally Posted by Squeekie

That link is charging people for sex offender information?? That's outrageous!

The information is out there, free -

http://www.nsopw.gov

&

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/cac/registry.htm

These two links are not the right ones either you have to know their names there is a link that was for free that you could enter your zip code and it would let you know who was registered in your neighbor.

[legalmania]

Originally Posted by LisaM22

that was not what happened here though, I am all for that, if that is what they want to do

They got their names because they went to a site looking for young girls and there is an organization who monitors and talkes to these guys and acts like they want to meet with them and are able to trace them by their e-mail. There are very few women who do this.

[tiny paw-prints]

Originally Posted by legalmania

They got their names because they went to a site looking for young girls and there is an organization who monitors and talkes to these guys and acts like they want to meet with them and are able to trace them by their e-mail. There are very few women who do this.

I am a woman, a parent and grandmother. Where can I sign up to contribute my time and effort to eliminate these on-line sex offenders?

TIA

[legalmania]

Originally Posted by tiny paw-prints

I am a woman, a parent and grandmother. Where can I sign up to contribute my time and effort to eliminate these on-line sex offenders?

TIA

here is an organization called perverted justice and an article with more info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-pedophile_activism

[mafitz701]

From my own personal experience in having to deal with MySpace and predators over two of my daughters, I can assure you they care less if your kids are being contacted by pervs..

They need to taste a class action suit or massive federal investigation to get them to take it seriously. I have had to deal with a total of 3 so far just from myspace. What they do is they pose as teenage boys, they contact your child via email to get a friend add, then they "groom" your child.

My oldest daughter had a man from Denmark "grooming" her from the age of 13. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get the legal system to get them when they are out of country? And try getting the US system to do anything like red flag them to keep them from entering the country is impossible.

On top of trying to get the authorities to get involved, you are also trying to collect proof from very skilled predators.

The Federal authorities treat me like I am going overreacting. The local authorities can't do much. Its frustrating and when you have a teenager you don't want to police them on the net unless they are in trouble, but you have no choice. You have to police them, and all of their friends.

I am to the point that I have to have phone numbers, addresses, and photographs from every single friend my teenager has on the net. I call them, and if they don't check out I block them from her page and report them. Myspace does not delete them. They tell me that it is my job to police who is contacting her on her page. So I can block the one profile, but that does not stop the perverts from going to yahoo or google and setting up new email accounts and then making new myspace profiles, and going after her again. Nor does it stop them from finding someone else's kid to prey on.

Myspace loses more sleep over spammers than they do the fact that they are aiding pedophiles in their hunt for children.

[That_Girl]

Originally Posted by tiny paw-prints

I am a woman, a parent and grandmother. Where can I sign up to contribute my time and effort to eliminate these on-line sex offenders?

TIA

You would try contacting the local police or FBI, who may have the better information and protection for you.

Where I live the police have a website connection where one can access where registered ("Registered") sex offenders "live". There are several in the area we live in and I warn my child all the time and have shown him the photographs. I've memorized most of their "faces" and have seen two of them in my goings about town. The first time, I "followed" the person - not to taunt or do a citizens arrest - but to 'see' if he was up to anything. Not. But, that doesn't leave my guard down.

Something that really "strikes" me after having been on forums/threads like this, that appear to be trustworthy and generally like "chat/debate" threads, that many posters are "offenders" - I have no idea if sex offenders and that's not my point with this..so it's perhaps a bit OT to mention this, but the theme I'm attempting to convey is that posting on forums is a "safe haven" for anyone to get involved in discussions etc., but also in a sense for people to be abusive to others. No wonder they find sex offenders on MySpace or anywhere else for that matter. Some are so crafty, savvy, deceitful that my guess is they can find ways to get around being found out. I really don't like being so "big brotherish" about it, but if one is convicted of being a sex offender - and I mean a rapist, child molestor, etc. those ankle bracelets would be a "key"..to the timing of any transmission, IP address, whatever..even if using someone else's computer or those "Internet cafe's". Or maybe I don't understand how they work..I thought there was a way to identify the location at any point in time..match it up to the IP transmission, no matter from where, then come to a conclusion, at least somewhat, that person transmitted that information.

My mom, RIP, always said the computer (she didn't even say internet..but that's pretty much what she meant) was the Devil's tool. I used to try to assure her that it wasn't, but yes it could be used that way. Society today relies on it..business does..information highway does. But, I think she was right...in her sense and one I understand...it is a "safe haven" for the ones who want to connect and not be found out for valid responsible reasons..but a "safe haven/coverup" for those who have ill intended reasons.

jmo

[That_Girl]

Originally Posted by mafitz701

<snipped>
Do you have any idea how hard it is to get the legal system to get them when they are out of country? And try getting the US system to do anything like red flag them to keep them from entering the country is impossible.

On top of trying to get the authorities to get involved, you are also trying to collect proof from very skilled predators.

The Federal authorities treat me like I am going overreacting. The local authorities can't do much. Its frustrating and when you have a teenager you don't want to police them on the net unless they are in trouble, but you have no choice. You have to police them, and all of their friends.

I am to the point that I have to have phone numbers, addresses, and photographs from every single friend my teenager has on the net. I call them, and if they don't check out I block them from her page and report them. Myspace does not delete them. They tell me that it is my job to police who is contacting her on her page. So I can block the one profile, but that does not stop the perverts from going to yahoo or google and setting up new email accounts and then making new myspace profiles, and going after her again. Nor does it stop them from finding someone else's kid to prey on.

Myspace loses more sleep over spammers than they do the fact that they are aiding pedophiles in their hunt for children.

You are absolutely right, IMO..but we both may be "over-reacting" to some, although I do not think so. I have attempted with my teenage child to keep the internet "at bay"... I talk with my teen, I advise my teen, but two months ago when he was hospitalized, those yahoo, etc. messages came up. I got on and spoke with the person..and said...you talk to me on the phone or you will not have contact again. I called them..I talked to their parents (or I HOPE it was their parents). Phone numbers matched up. I am a "policewoman" in my own house...and that IS part of parenting, I realize. But when a child has to access the internet to do schoolwork...and it may be when you, yourself, are still at work...there are no safeguards..well at least in my situation. If I do a BLOCK..it blocks the school network. Pretty amazing.


The only solution I find is taking out the computer entirely from the home. But...I use it for work..so it's a battle. Maybe we should go back to postage stamps..telephone calls..and a paper trail?

jmo