webuser.co.uk— Young people using Windows Live Messenger or MSN Messenger to chat online with friends can now make a report to police with one click if they are concerned their online 'buddy' is a sex offender.
Aug 23, 2006View in Crawl 4
"“Behind the report abuse button will sit police and intelligence officers who have been specially trained to tackle child sex abuse. We will tell you how to capture information and how to seize online discussions and then proactively do all we can to track down the perpetrator. "
1/5? How many of them were also *giving* sexual solicitations? Don't assume that just because people aren't of legal age they don't have dirty thoughts or hormones.That said, any real paedophiles will just stop using the MSN network (if they percieve the report function as a threat) and find their victims through the myriad of other online channels.
Seems like a good idea to me. Although I think it should be filtered by AOL before going to the authorities. I don't care if I'm not doing anything wrong, I would still rather not have a possible blotch in my police record saying "reported sexual offense - determined false" or to even be considered a sexual offender by the authorities for a second. It should notify an AOL employee about a possible sexual predator first, have that person look at the convo, and if it looks bad, contact authorities. AOL must of course use chat logs for internal research anyways, so I'd rather my chats only go external when absolutely necessary.
Chat services should just work closer with law enforcement. If a girl is being harassed, just call the police and then they could contact the chat service and have that information looked into...It wouldn't be nearly as abused, because you would have to call 911 to report this.
Exactly why it's a bad idea. :PWhile it is important that we have some kind of means to keep things safe for youngsters, some things just won't work as a solution. When it comes down to it, the very best solution is this: practice good parenting.
Things like this are preliminary steps toward the policing of the internet. First you get proprietary networks doing things like this "for the children," then things get a little more severe (but still on proprietary networks). Before long the proprietary networks are locked down, and so many people are used to it that legislation to do the same on public networks is not contested, but welcomed. ("We need to catch up the open networks with the private ones. They are behind the times")Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying all that will happen. I'm just saying we should be weary of what services we use, as the AOL Log story should show.
if parents SHOULD not let kids use internet unless they are supervisedkids are stupid and annoying on the internet they talk crap and dont shut the hell upif a child lover wants to mess with a kid the kid should tell his parents before calling the police kids should NEVER call the police unless someones life is in danger . this is a good idea but like everyone says 99.9% of these reports are gonna be BS pranks on some poor person this is a FACT too many people on the internet are losers with nothing to do
I can see this getting out of hand and people using it as a joke, and some people getting wrongly convicted if anything.. This kind of reminds me of warning people on aim up to 100%! i mean, this could be a good thing though too if used properly.
gregdAug 23, 2006Submitter
"“Behind the report abuse button will sit police and intelligence officers who have been specially trained to tackle child sex abuse. We will tell you how to capture information and how to seize online discussions and then proactively do all we can to track down the perpetrator. "
mchermAug 23, 2006
I'm glad I'm not one of your "friends"!
fourkAug 23, 2006
Must have hit a nerve.
warofwrathAug 23, 2006
1/5? How many of them were also *giving* sexual solicitations? Don't assume that just because people aren't of legal age they don't have dirty thoughts or hormones.That said, any real paedophiles will just stop using the MSN network (if they percieve the report function as a threat) and find their victims through the myriad of other online channels.
qoogirlAug 24, 2006
@reed311: I guess that's what America calls "entrapment." =/
mrbillyAug 24, 2006
[x] Click here to report Snakes on a Plane (sorry couldn't resist)
shyguy91284Aug 24, 2006
Seems like a good idea to me. Although I think it should be filtered by AOL before going to the authorities. I don't care if I'm not doing anything wrong, I would still rather not have a possible blotch in my police record saying "reported sexual offense - determined false" or to even be considered a sexual offender by the authorities for a second. It should notify an AOL employee about a possible sexual predator first, have that person look at the convo, and if it looks bad, contact authorities. AOL must of course use chat logs for internal research anyways, so I'd rather my chats only go external when absolutely necessary.
incontrastAug 24, 2006
Chat services should just work closer with law enforcement. If a girl is being harassed, just call the police and then they could contact the chat service and have that information looked into...It wouldn't be nearly as abused, because you would have to call 911 to report this.
hayesAug 25, 2006
This would be more practical on something like MySpace where things could be looked into much more easily.
uownedgeAug 25, 2006
Exactly why it's a bad idea. :PWhile it is important that we have some kind of means to keep things safe for youngsters, some things just won't work as a solution. When it comes down to it, the very best solution is this: practice good parenting.
hobophobeAug 25, 2006
Things like this are preliminary steps toward the policing of the internet. First you get proprietary networks doing things like this "for the children," then things get a little more severe (but still on proprietary networks). Before long the proprietary networks are locked down, and so many people are used to it that legislation to do the same on public networks is not contested, but welcomed. ("We need to catch up the open networks with the private ones. They are behind the times")Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying all that will happen. I'm just saying we should be weary of what services we use, as the AOL Log story should show.
commando69Mar 20, 2008
if parents SHOULD not let kids use internet unless they are supervisedkids are stupid and annoying on the internet they talk crap and dont shut the hell upif a child lover wants to mess with a kid the kid should tell his parents before calling the police kids should NEVER call the police unless someones life is in danger . this is a good idea but like everyone says 99.9% of these reports are gonna be BS pranks on some poor person this is a FACT too many people on the internet are losers with nothing to do
mrsjayJun 23, 2008
Guess what you got with your latest MSN messenger update!<a class="user" href="http://digg.com/politics/Proof_our_civil_liberties_are_already_being_violated">http://digg.com/politics/Proof_our_civil_liberties ...</a>
fsnetwork62Feb 5, 2009
I can see this getting out of hand and people using it as a joke, and some people getting wrongly convicted if anything.. This kind of reminds me of warning people on aim up to 100%! i mean, this could be a good thing though too if used properly.