MySpace reveals child predator blocks

MySpace is mending its frayed relations with the top law enforcers of 50 US jurisdictions by beefing up measures to protect underage users from pedophiles. Officials of the social networking site have already implemented mechanisms that delete profiles of registered sex offenders, make the profiles of 14- and 15-year-old users …

[Dick]

So I guess that means

that sex offenders must be the only folks using their real names on the internet?

[Anonymous Coward]

Eh?

"Officials of the social networking site have already implemented mechanisms that delete profiles of registered sex offenders..."

And how, exactly, do they know who a sex offender is? Even presuming sex offenders use their real names to register, which seems a bit unlikely, what happens when John Smith commits a sex crime (such as public urination or private bicycle defilement) do they kick every John Smith off of myspace? Or will they go at the problem both ways, and kick the sex offenders AND the kids off by eliminating everyone with a '69' on the end of their username?

[Anonymous Coward]

@David

Ah, silly, there's an option when registering of course where you specify:

Sex offender: Yes/No

Terrorist: Yes/No

Criminal: Yes/No

etc.

[Dave Bell]

Imagine you're a teen, and curious about this sex thing.

Are you really going to admit you're only 14?

[Herby]

What was the 50th state?

Inquiring minds (etc...). If only 49 states and the DC A.G. were in on the deal, what happened to the last state? Does it have any child predators? Who knows? Of course it could be a state that has a lawsuit pending and doesn't want to be in on the deal so it can get more $$$ out of the state, and not really protect anyone.

[Aubry Thonon]

Stupid filter.

"...prevent them from being contacted by unknown adult users"

Because, of *course*, no predator would *ever* create a juvenile profile, right?

[Dick]

What was the 50th state?

Texas, the AG had the balls to say he didn't believe any of these sites could be made safe.

[Mat]

Madness.

The worrying thing about all of this is that because people think this is adequate security, they will reduce their vigilance accordingly...

[Anonymous Coward]

O.O

So the internet is full of chamelion suit wearing aliens with shoulder mounted plasma cannons who want to have sex with children?

What a shame. If I were a predator I'm sure I'd come up with more entertaining things to do.

[TeeCee]

Aliens.

More to the point, why should Junior chameleon suit wearing aliens with shoulder mounted plasma cannon be excluded from MySpace at all?

It's blatant discrimination and Junior CSWAWSMPC's dad should sue (or turn to hunting MySpace employees for fun).

[Anonymous Coward]

@Dick

And hooray for the AG in TX. One out of fifty one not only has the balls, as you mentioned, but obviously enough brainpower to figure out that it's not these website's jobs to protect kids, and the government couldn't do anything about it.

FWIW a 10-year-old girl I know registered herself as a 16-year-old on MySpace. I want to see what brilliant strategy they come up with for her to prove it.

[Anonymous Coward]

I want to see what brilliant strategy they come up with for her to prove it...

Let's hope it's nothing like the idea the bods behind the "King of the World" game came up with. If you want to to play a female character in that game, you have to prove you are female by webcam.

Fat, balding "predators" would then have to find a nearby 14 year old to help them "prove" they were really teens.

[joe]

So

"The site has also agreed to deploy additional safeguards, including software that does a better job of enforcing the site's minimum age policy of 14. It has also agreed to "explore" the use of technologies that "can help make users more safe and secure including age verification."

Complete and utter crap. Age verification? As in what - A CC# from the parents or someone else, who would never know it was used in such a manner? What about all the under aged people there now? Will they boot them all off the server and diminish their oh so proud to have X number of members?

This doesn't fall on anyone except the parents. Or is there some super secret software that can see what's happening beyond the monitor...... Who are they trying to kid. Click here if you are 14 or older.