Posted on 03/02/2006 9:05:04 AM PST by george wythe
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Two men from Pennsylvania and New Jersey used the popular networking Web site MySpace.com to set up sexual encounters with underage Connecticut girls, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
The two unrelated cases come after weeks in which the potential danger of MySpace has been a topic of discussion for law enforcement, parents and school officials nationwide.
In one case, Sonny Szeto, 22, of Jersey City, N.J., traveled to Connecticut in October and molested an 11-year-old girl in her playroom while her parents slept upstairs, according to an FBI affidavit.
In the other case, Stephen Letavec, 39, molested a 14-year-old Connecticut girl in his car while visiting from of Elrama, Pa., in October, according to another FBI report.
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
Thanks.....I figure there's always away AROUND parents anyway.....and YES, raising them RIGHT is BEST!
That's very good, I'd like to use that if you don't object.
A Linux live CD is the way to go (for the kid). Just boot from the CD, use the computer, remove CD, reboot and windows is exactly like you left it.
"I'm not sure. If it does have private areas, certainly many of its users don't use common sense about what to keep private! But on the other hand, you make me realize the benefit of NOT having private areas... Parents can monitor it. Maybe MySpace should require all under-18 users to give parental access to private spaces."
Ah, but you see, MySpace can't see its users, can it? Go there and sign up for an account. You can be any age you like. How would they check?
You want privacy there? You can have it. You want 10 accounts? You can have that, too. Wanna sign up as being 21, even if you're only 14? No problem. Wanna sign up as being 14, even though you're 43? You can do that, too.
MySpace is just that. It's a space. It's free. You can just go and sign up. So kids do. Kids like free stuff. Kids like friends.
The thing is that the abuses are few and far between. Yes, there's a story here and there about some creep who stalks some kid. Not all that many, though. And 50 million users +?
Well, there are creeps at the mall. There are creeps at the McDonalds. There are creeps in your church, school, police department, and just about anywhere else you can mention. You can read the stories about them stalking and molesting kids, too.
It happens, but it's all rare. Protect your kids by teaching them about the risks and how to avoid those risks. It doesn't matter if it's MySpace or the parish rec room. You MUST teach your kids about the risks and how to protect themselves. That is the only answer.
Well, two or three weeks IS a lot of days!
:0)
Every means of communication invented has been used by wrong doers. I'm not excusing these perverts' actions, I'm saying it's hardly news that Match.com or any other Internet hook up site or chat site attracts the bad with the good.
Newspaper and magazine lonely heart columns were used in the past. Boy's and Girl's organizations, school organizations/ etc. have been infiltrated by some nasty actors. When the telephone was invented, some worried it allowed too much dangerous contact.
The solution comes down to parental involvement with their children along with appropriate cautions to youth. When inappropriate contact is found, the law should have quick and harsh penalties.
Man, you are lucky that your daughter didn't get in trouble BEFORE you did your investigation.
So for those unfortunate kids whose parents do not have the intelligence or parenting skills to watch over their kids, I understand you all to be saying "heck with them". I get it.
"Amazing that an idea so basic eludes so many."
Yup. Parents who believe that severe restrictions on teenagers work are just fooling themselves. That trick simply never works.
Teaching teens (and even younger kids) what risks there are out in the world and what they can to to protect themselves works a whole lot better.
Teach them moral values and teach them WHY those values are important. Then...little by little, let them have their heads and explore the world, step-by-step, with you there as a backup.
That method has always worked just fine. The other method, of keeping them ignorant and trying to keep them restricted to doing nothing has never worked. We all knew kids from very strict homes who were the wildest kids on the block.
Nothing has changed. Parents teach their children how to behave, one way or another. Often, sadly, they learn by the absence of much teaching at all, with parents believing that the only word they need to tell their kids is "no."
I agree. Those who want some sort of "regulating" of this are people who are too lazy to properly parent their child and want Big Brother to do the job for them.
Concerned about what your kid is doing while using his/her computer? The three computers in my home are in my office, the living room, and the kitchen. No computer in the kid's room... nor television, xbox, or such stuff. Who says such things must be in a kid's room rather than in the living room where parents can keep an eye on whats happening? I will tell ya who does... parents who would prefer the kids disappear into the bedroom, or wander around town... and who do not really give a damn what their kids do so long as the kids do not disturb them. They want televisions, video games, and the internet to be the babysitter of their kids, and want Big Brother to be responsible for their kids upbringing... so that they can sit on their asses and not be disturbed when watching "Desperate Housewives" or the Super Bowl.
Ah, didn't read the article till I got your reply. I was picturing a woman in her late twenties or early thirties.
Didn't have to wait long for the mandatory liberal to tell us that Big Nanny State government will solve all our problems and absolve us of individual responsiblity
Firstly, "mandatory libertarian" is an oxymoron, I think.
Secondly, whose responsibility is it to "regulate" the Internet usage of teens? It's not the government's responsibility. If a parent fails to keep an eye on a child's internet activity then who else do you want to blame? You open the door to the government regulating this aspect of the internet, and the government will regulate (and tax) every aspect of the internet.
We need less government regulation across the board, not more.
"parents who would prefer the kids disappear into the bedroom, or wander around town... and who do not really give a damn what their kids do so long as the kids do not disturb them. They want televisions, video games, and the internet to be the babysitter of their kids, and want Big Brother to be responsible for their kids upbringing... so that they can sit on their asses and not be disturbed when watching "Desperate Housewives" or the Super Bowl.
"
It takes the average kid 10 seconds to bypass.
Numerous people have asked you how you would recommend the government regulate this internet activity. You haven't responded to any of them.
You can police this stuff - and cops do - but the government can't prevent a kid who is determined from posting at myspace or similar websites.
As far as the kids who are unfortunate enough to have parents who "do not have the intelligence or parenting skills to watch over their kids" ... well, those kids are already in trouble with or without the internet. Would you recommend they become wards of the state?
>> Ah, but you see, MySpace can't see its users, can it? <<
Um, well, actually, yes they can! It's a visual-based medium.
>> Go there and sign up for an account. You can be any age you like. How would they check? <<
Well, you can BECAUSE they don't check. Simply requiring a credit verification would easily suffice. B-b-b-but then teans would need parental permission! Riiiiigghgt!
>> And 50 million users +? <<
FIFTY MILLION USERS? Try a few hundred thousand.
guys are scum but the girls are too dumb for words..why does an 11 year old have access to a comp and a myspace account anyway..hello parents
LOL.....your right
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