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To: bvw
You're twisted - and if you have or will have a 16 year-old daughter, I presume you'll encourage her to "play-act" online with drooling 30-something dweeb losers like Scott Ritter.
72 posted on 01/20/2003 5:50:47 PM PST by over3Owithabrain
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To: over3Owithabrain
Actually, I did catch it happening with my then 14-year old daughter, some dweeb hitting on her via IM. I was running the SpectreSoft package (which is the best of the few I've tried in terms of convenience of use). I had her pull any personal information off her profile and to only to accept messages from people she already personally knew.

I told the guy off.

It is upsetting, and even dangerous. That however doesn't necessarily mean it should be criminal. It's no good, bad, rotten, creepy, and sleazy but to criminalize being chatted up, or even setting up and going to a rendevous -- that's too much criminalizaing of thought to my lights.

In a real crime there's dozens of moments where the thought passes in a first-timer's mind. "I shouldn't be doing this." The closer to actual point of the crime (up to a some point where momentum takes over) the stronger that internal voice gets. And not just internal -- fate can throw monkeywrenches in too, thankfully.

But "virtual" crime doesn't permit that to occur. "Pre-crime".

Okay, I'll drop this in the minor misdemeanor category, even a "summary offence" -- like a parking ticket. But no felony. The internet is still new, novel. The social etiquettes and practical moralities needed in its use, as well as the traps and other dangers in it are in discovery. One might allow some temporary over-reaction in policing on that account. But Liberty is Liberty, and has to be held dearly.

191 posted on 01/20/2003 9:00:27 PM PST by bvw
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